• Police intercept bar vehicle near Serena underpass
• Lawyers claim force used as Imaan allegedly manhandled
• Bar councils condemn arrests, warn of protest movement

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court on Thur­sday sent lawyer and rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, to jail on judicial remand, hours after the couple was arrested and produced before the court under tight security.

The ATC remanded them to jail on judicial remand in a case relating to a protest outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and alleged manhandling of the Islamabad High Court Bar Asso­ci­ation (IHCBA) president.

Strict security measures were enforced during the proceedings and entry to the courtroom was restricted. Lawyers and journalists were not allowed inside.

The case was heard by ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain. Prior to their arrest, Ms Mazari and Mr Chattha had spent three nights at the IHCBA president’s office as part of a protest, and their arrest prompted lawyers’ bodies to anno­unce a complete strike in condemnation.

According to bar officials, Ms Mazari and Mr Chattha, along with IHCBA President Syed Wajid Ali Gilani, Secre­tary Manzoor Ahmed Jajja and other lawyers, went to surrender before IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar. They were informed by court staff that the chief justice was not present, after which they returned to the bar office and later left for the district courts in a vehicle of the Islam­abad Bar Association.

Bar leaders said police vehicles that had been deployed outside the IHC building for the past three days followed the convoy. Near the underpass in front of the Serena Hotel, police intercepted the vehicle, arrested Ms Mazari and Mr Chattha, and shifted them to an undisclosed location. Additional police contingents were deployed around the IHC, while strict checking was enforced.

Outside the Women Police Station, Mr Gilani said a fresh FIR had been registered three days earlier against the couple. He said the IHC had granted relief in one case, while other matters were pending before Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, where the accused were required to appear.

Bar representatives alleged that despite assurances that the couple would not be arrested, police intercepted them and used force. They claimed police personnel assaulted lawyers, forcibly opened vehicle doors and manhandled Ms Mazari during the arrest.

The bar associations expressed concern over her safety and alleged misconduct by law enforcement.

The Islamabad Bar Council, IHCBA and District Bar Association jointly condemned the arrests, calling them an attack on the legal fraternity and the rule of law. Bar leaders warned that if such actions continued, a movement similar to the 2007 lawyers’ movement could be launched.

Meanwhile, IHCBA Secretary Manzoor Ahmed Jajja resigned, saying he had been assured the couple would not be arrested before surrendering to the trial court. Talking to Dawn, Mr Jajja said he had submitted his resignation to the Islamabad Bar Council.

He said that the quarters concerned assured them of giving the couple safe passage to face the trial and that he conveyed the same assurance to Ms Mazari and her husband. “After their arrest, I decided to resign,” he said.

In a separate proceeding, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka adjourned the hearing of a case relating to an allegedly controversial tweet against Ms Mazari and Mr Chattha due to their absence.

The court observed that their right to cross-examine could be closed if they failed to appear. Prosecutor Rana Usman told the court the accused were deliberately avoiding proceedings. Judge Majoka directed that cross-examination be completed by 3:30pm on Saturday (today), noting that sufficient time had already been granted.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2026