An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has granted post-arrest bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and former lawmaker Ali Wazir in a sedition case. The court ruling comes after their arrests following a public meeting organized by the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), where both Imaan and Wazir addressed the rally and criticized the military establishment over enforced disappearances.
Imaan was arrested from her home on August 20, while Wazir was arrested on August 19. Two first information reports (FIRs) were registered against them at Islamabad’s Tarnol police station and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station.
Previously, on August 22, Imaan was granted post-arrest bail in a rioting and dacoity case but remained in police custody in connection with the sedition case. On August 24, an Islamabad ATC rejected the prosecution’s request to extend their physical remand and sent Imaan and Wazir to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on judicial remand.
In today’s hearing, the court read out a script of Imaan’s speech from the PTM rally. The prosecution opposed bail, stating that the contents of a USB in Imaan’s possession and the forensics of the event were still pending. However, the ATC granted both suspects post-arrest bail against surety bonds of Rs30,000 each, although they have not yet been released from jail.
The FIRs against Imaan and Wazir include charges of rioting armed with a deadly weapon, unlawful assembly, obstructing public servants, disobedience to orders, assault on public servants, dacoity, mischief, and criminal intimidation. Additionally, sedition charges were brought against them, although the Lahore High Court had previously invalidated the section related to sedition.
The PTM rally in Islamabad saw an attendance of around 3,000 people, with Imaan and Wazir condemning harassment against Pakhtuns and calling for the return of missing people. The arrests of Imaan and Wazir are part of a larger number of PTM members who were detained following the protest.