- Advocate alleges ‘brazen misconduct’ as Justice Saman Imtiaz removed hours after taking cognisance of her complaint
- Says IHC offices refused to process harassment plea, claiming Dogar used administrative powers to block inquiry
- Separate reference filed in IBC seeks cancellation of Mazari’s licence over alleged ‘anti-state activities’
ISLAMABAD: Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir on Tuesday approached the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar, after the court administration stripped Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz of her authority to entertain harassment complaints soon after she took cognizance of Mazari’s complaint against him.
Last week, Justice Dogar had warned Mazari of a contempt of court case and reportedly made remarks along the lines of “getting a hold of her.” His conduct drew condemnation from multiple lawyers’ bodies, which demanded his dismissal as IHC chief justice. Following this, Mazari filed a complaint before the IHC’s workplace harassment committee and submitted a misconduct reference against him before the SJC.
After Justice Imtiaz took up her complaint, the IHC administration de-notified her as the “competent authority” and replaced her with Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas, effectively removing her powers to hear harassment cases.
In a post on X, Mazari said she had filed an addendum to her original SJC complaint following this “alarming development.” She alleged Justice Imtiaz was “arbitrarily and with mala fide” removed only hours after she entertained the complaint and formed a three-member inquiry team.
The additional complaint, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, claimed that various IHC offices — including the registrar’s office, dispatch branch, and member inspection team — had refused to forward her complaint to the competent authority. Ultimately, she said, Justice Imtiaz’s staff had to directly receive it.
Mazari argued that instead of raising objections through proper procedure, the IHC chief justice used his administrative powers “to influence the inquiry committee” by removing the only female judge willing to hear the case. She described the move as “brazen misconduct” and “an alarming abuse of power.”
She further alleged that cases of hers, which had previously not been fixed for hearing, were suddenly placed before Justice Dogar after she filed the complaint. A request for transfer was rejected, she said, while the judge “repeatedly tried to drag the proxy counsel into discussion on the incident of harassment.”
Mazari also pointed to “apparent abuse of authority” in a separate cybercrime case lodged against her. She said the Ministry of Interior nominated a special prosecution team days after the harassment incident, and a challan covering incidents from 2021 to 2025 was hastily filed in a trial court, which immediately fixed the matter for hearing on Wednesday. She maintained she had yet to receive formal summons but had been informed through media reports and a voice note from an NCCIA officer.
Urging the SJC to take up her complaint, Mazari said unchecked abuse of power by the IHC chief justice directly affected her legal practice and clients. She requested that her addendum be treated as part of her earlier complaint.
Licence cancellation reference
Separately, a lawyer filed a reference before the Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) seeking the cancellation of Mazari’s practicing license for alleged “anti-state activities” and a “smear campaign against state functionaries.”
The reference, filed by Advocate Adnan Iqbal, alleged that Mazari had engaged in “hate speeches against state institutions and law enforcement agencies, negative campaigns against government officials, and instigating rebellion against vital institutions of the state.”
Citing “credible sources,” it further accused her of links with banned outfits such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), as well as ties with Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leader Manzoor Pashteen.
The plea requested the IBC chairman and disciplinary committee to suspend Mazari’s licence during the inquiry and permanently cancel it under Section 41 of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973, read with Chapter X of its 1976 rules and the Islamabad Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules 2017.
“She has been supporting every movement with an agenda of rebellion against the state,” the reference stated, claiming there was “strong persuasive evidence” against her.
