Imaan Mazari, spouse arrested in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Abdul Hadi, have been arrested in the federal capital, her mother confirmed, moments after police sources told Geo News on Monday.

The sources added that the couple has been arrested in a case registered at Aabpara Police Station concerning interference in government operations. In a post on X, Shireen Mazari, Imaan’s mother and a former federal minister, claimed that “state fascism” was in full swing.

“On Friday at the road barrier @ICT_Police swung the steel barrier delib into her assaulting her as videosshow & injured her. Who will hold police accountable 4 terrorism?”

Later, the Islamabad Police also confirmed arrest of Imaan and her spouse Hadi Ali, saying they were arrested for creating security risk by interfering in the state affairs during visit of an international cricket team.

The Human Right Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the arrest of the rights lawyers “on vague charges of creating a security risk”. “Both are committed, well-respected human rights defenders, whose arbitrary arrest is symptomatic of the rapidly shrinking space for activists in Pakistan,” the HRCP said in a statement on X.

The rights organisation demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the lawyers with all charges against them dropped. The arrest comes days after Imaan and her spouse engaged in a scuffle with traffic police following their attempted to remove the road blockades placed for the visiting England team’s traffic protocol.

The English team was in Pakistan for a three-match Test series and the last match was played in Rawalpindi cricket stadium. The incident occurred at Islamabad Zero Point Interchange in the morning when the teams were being transported to the stadium.

Imaan’s husband thrashed policemen, abused them and threatened them with dire consequences, the sources added. While Imaan claimed that she was in a hurry as she had to reach court, Islamabad police said that the couple had violated the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of state guests and warned of filing a case.