The Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has instructed that human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir be held at a women’s police station in the capital city until her bail hearing, scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday). This comes shortly after the court decided to remand her in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail for two weeks in a terror case.
Imaan Mazari and former lawmaker Ali Wazir were arrested on August 20 for alleged sedition, following a Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) public meeting in Islamabad. Videos circulating on social media showed speakers criticizing the military establishment for enforced disappearances.
On August 21, an Islamabad ATC granted the police a three-day physical remand of Imaan Mazari and Ali Wazir in the sedition case. However, on August 28, she was granted bail in the sedition case, only to be re-arrested by the Islamabad police within hours in connection with a newly filed terror case. The following day, the ATC granted the police a three-day physical remand in the terror case.
Today, at the end of her physical remand, Imaan Mazari appeared before Judge Abul Hasnaat Muhammad Zulqarnain. Her lawyer, Zainab Janjua, public prosecutor Raja Naveed, and her mother Shireen Mazari were also present in court for the terror case.
During the hearing, the prosecutor requested an extension of Imaan’s physical remand. Judge Zulqarnain inquired about the current status of the case and subsequently ordered her to be sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand.
Immediately after, another member of Imaan’s legal team, Qaiser Imam, filed a bail application, which was also heard by the same court. The court issued notices on the bail application, urging the police to respond by September 4. However, Imaan’s counsel, Zainab Janjua, requested an early hearing tomorrow on medical grounds and on the basis of Imaan being a female.
Lawyer Qaiser Imam informed the court about his client’s poor health. The court accepted the request for an early hearing and directed Imaan to be held at a women’s police station in Islamabad until the bail hearing tomorrow. The notice to the police was also amended, with a new response deadline set for September 2.
This development reflects the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the arrest of Imaan Mazari and the upcoming bail hearing that will determine her immediate future.