Islamabad: An Islamabad district and sessions court has ordered the arrest of lawyer and human rights activist Iman Zainab Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, directing authorities to take them into custody within 24 hours.
According to court documents, the couple has been accused of using social media posts to promote ethnic division, portraying the Pakistani military as being involved in terrorism, and holding security forces responsible for cases of enforced disappearances in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Reacting to the court order, Iman Mazari said it was evident that the sole purpose of the case, from its initiation to the present stage, was to have her imprisoned. She stated that the same approach had previously been adopted by the trial court, where proceedings were conducted ex parte in her absence and she was denied the right to cross-examination.
Mazari further said that once again her fundamental right to defense and cross-examination had been curtailed, adding that the court had now ordered her appearance only through a video link. She said the intent was clear: no physical presence in court, no cross-examination, and no effective right to defense.
It is noteworthy that legal proceedings against Iman Mazari have been ongoing for several months. In the past, the court had also issued arrest warrants for Mazari and her husband, which were challenged by their lawyers. However, fresh arrest orders have now been issued against both.
Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha have been at the forefront of raising their voices against human rights violations in Pakistan. They have represented families of enforced disappearances from Balochistan and have also pursued cases involving leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee.
Human rights organizations, Baloch political circles, and families of enforced disappearances have expressed serious concern over the ongoing trial against Mazari. These groups said that she is being targeted for speaking out against enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
Families of missing persons stated that in Pakistan, anyone who speaks for Baloch rights, minority rights, or the rule of law is branded a traitor.
