ATC Approves Three-Day Physical Remand of Imaan Mazari and Husband in Government Interference Case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday granted a three-day physical remand of lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband Abdul Hadi, following their arrest by Islamabad police on charges of alleged interference in government operations.

The couple was brought before ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain after being detained a day earlier in connection with an incident involving a scuffle with traffic police over road blockades in the capital. According to the FIR filed at Aabpara Police Station, the incident occurred when Mazari reportedly removed barriers placed on Faisal Avenue for the visiting England cricket team’s security, urging others to do the same.

The FIR states that the couple disrupted the established security protocol, with Mazari allegedly demanding the barriers be removed. Her husband, Hadi, reportedly arrived soon after, shouting at and physically assaulting an officer on duty. Prosecutor Raja Naveed, highlighting the security risks associated with foreign team visits, requested a 30-day remand, citing a need for forensic analysis of video footage related to the incident and further arrests.

Despite the prosecution’s request, the court approved a three-day physical remand. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned the couple’s arrest, calling it an infringement on civil liberties. Imaan’s mother, former minister Shireen Mazari, also criticized the detainment, labeling it “state fascism.”