ISLAMABAD (MNN); Activist-lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha were arrested on Friday in Islamabad while reportedly travelling to the district courts to attend a hearing.
Former federal minister and Imaan’s mother, Shireen Mazari, confirmed the arrests through a series of posts on X, stating that police detained the couple, placed them in separate vehicles and took them to undisclosed locations without presenting any first information report (FIR).
Shireen Mazari claimed that despite the presence of bar representatives, no relief could be secured, terming the arrests an example of “fascism at its peak”. She also shared videos showing police vehicles following the lawyers’ car and officers forcibly stopping it.
Imaan and Hadi were scheduled to appear before an Additional District and Sessions Judge in a case related to controversial social media posts, for which arrest warrants were issued on January 16 after cancellation of their interim bail due to repeated non-appearance.
To avoid arrest, the couple had been staying at the office of Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) President Wajid Ali Gilani for two consecutive nights.
In separate posts, Shireen Mazari alleged that police used force during the arrest, including breaking vehicle windows and assaulting bar leaders. She further claimed that violence was also used against Imaan and Hadi.
Illegal and unconstitutional move
IHCBA President Wajid Ali Gilani, in a video message, said authorities had assured safe passage for the couple to the court, but police intercepted their vehicles near Serena Chowk and forcibly detained them.
Gilani alleged that police officers broke car windows, dragged the couple out, and that male personnel manhandled Imaan Mazari. He further claimed that IHCBA Secretary Manzoor Jajja was pushed to the ground and beaten during the incident.
Calling the episode a major incident for Islamabad, Gilani urged lawyers to gather at the Sitara Market Women’s Police Station, where Imaan was reportedly held, and announced a strike. He warned that failure to stop such actions could trigger a movement similar to the 2007 lawyers’ movement.
The IHCBA, Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) and Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) strongly condemned the arrests. The IHCBA and IBA announced a strike on Friday, while the IBC called for a strike on Saturday.
The IBA described the arrests as illegal and unconstitutional, demanding immediate release of the lawyers and stating that every citizen has the constitutional right to defend themselves in court.
The IBC also condemned the alleged assault and misuse of authority by police, demanding an independent inquiry and strict disciplinary action against those involved.
Cases against the couple
The primary case against Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha relates to a complaint filed on August 12, 2025, with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over controversial social media posts. The couple was indicted on October 30 last year.
The complaint accuses Imaan of spreading content allegedly aligned with proscribed organisations, while Hadi was implicated for sharing some of the posts. The FIR claims the posts held security forces responsible for missing persons cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and portrayed the armed forces as ineffective against militant groups.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court granted the couple pre-arrest bail in a separate case related to a July 2025 protest by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee. However, an Anti-Terrorism Court on Thursday dismissed their pre-arrest bail in another case concerning a scuffle outside the IHC in September 2025.
