LAHORE: Imaan Mazari, a lawyer, has filed a grievance with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) over what she perceives as the lack of action on her harassment complaint against Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar. In her letter to Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas, the competent authority under the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, Mazari emphasized that the law requires charges to be communicated to the accused within three days and a defense to be filed within seven. Despite this, Mazari stated she had not received any updates on her case.
Mazari also criticized the replacement of Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, who had initially taken cognizance of her complaint, describing the move as unlawful. She argued that the accused cannot alter the competent authority to impede the progress of her complaint. Furthermore, Mazari accused IHC CJ Dogar of continuing acts of reprisal after the filing of her complaint, citing a recent hearing where her request for a transfer of her client Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s case was rejected by Dogar.
The conflict between Mazari and CJ Dogar began on September 11 during a hearing on Mahrang Baloch’s petition to remove her name from the Exit Control List. During the hearing, Dogar reportedly told Mazari to stay quiet and within the limits of respect, accusing her of calling him a “dictator.” Dogar further warned of contempt charges and made remarks directed at Mazari’s husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chatta.
Mazari, however, stood firm in her professional capacity and argued that her client’s case should not be impacted by the judge’s grievances. Following the incident, Mazari took steps to document the harassment, requesting the preservation of CCTV footage of the courtroom. However, her application for evidence preservation was left unanswered.
The matter escalated further when, on September 15, Mazari filed a formal harassment complaint with the IHC Women’s Harassment Inquiry Committee, chaired by Justice Imtiaz. She argued that Dogar’s remarks were gendered and threatening, falling within the scope of workplace harassment.
The situation has continued to garner widespread attention, with national bar associations condemning Dogar’s remarks and some calling for his removal. In the midst of the controversy, Mazari also faced additional pressure, with a reference filed by advocate Adnan Iqbal seeking the cancellation of her law license.
This ongoing standoff between Imaan Mazari and IHC Chief Justice Dogar has become a significant test for Pakistan’s judicial system, highlighting the challenges related to workplace harassment complaints within the judiciary.
