ISLAMABAD: Police on Fri­d­­ay booked outspoken rights activist Advocate Imaan Mazari-Hazir, her spouse, and several PTI-linked lawyers under anti-terror laws, following a clash with the president of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA).

The bar leadership alleged that a group of lawyers assaulted its pre­­sident, harassed him, and rais­ed slogans against state institutions.

The FIR was registered against Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chattha, Zainab Janjua, PTI-affiliated la­­w­yers Naeem Panjhuta, Fateh­ul­lah Barki and others under various sections of Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act.

The lawyers had staged a protest on the premises of the IHC to oppose the suspension of Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri from judicial work.

The demonstrators carried pla­cards and raised slogans in support of judicial independence. Isl­a­mabad Bar Council member Ale­­em Abbasi, ex-president of the IHCBA Riasat Ali, and Advocate Mazari were prominent among the lawyers who attended the rally.

FIR includes terror charges; case filed over altercation following lawyers’ protest at IHC

However, tensions flared when — after the demonstration — PTI-affiliated lawyers, including Intizar Hussain Panjotha, Naeem Panjotha, and Fatehullah Barki, confronted IHCBA President Wa­­j­id Ali Gilani. Witnesses reported the PTI lawyers pushed Mr Gilani, leading to an altercation, before IHCBA Secretary Manzoor Ahmed Jaja and other lawyers intervened.

The IHCBA president, accompanied by the secretary and bar council vice chairman Naseer Ahmed Kayani, later condemned the incident and announced that a reference would be sent to the bar council seeking registration of a terrorism case against the accused lawyers as well as cancellation of their licences.

Mr Gilani alleged that a group of lawyers, including Imaan Mazari and Zainab Janjua, physically assaulted him, dragged him, and branded him a traitor.

He said they were armed and pressured him to support demands for filing cases against PTI foun­der Imran Khan, which he refu­sed. “We have no personal or political agenda. We are neither alig­ned with any party nor any judge. Our role is to serve the lawyers, and my press conference should not be politicised,” he stated.

Mr Jaja claimed the protest had been held without a formal requisition to the bar, in violation of procedure. He emphasised that a terrorism case would be pursued against those involved and a formal request made for cancellation of their licences. “We are not touts of any judge, [and] those acting as such will be exposed,” he remarked.

Vice Chairman Naseer Kayani cautioned against exploiting the case of Justice Jahangiri for personal motives. He announced that lawyers responsible for the attack would be barred from entering the IHC premises, and their licences suspended upon receipt of formal complaints.

The IHCBA leadership reaffirmed its commitment to uphold the constitution and the rule of law, vowing not to yield to pressure or intimidation.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2025