Lawyer and activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Former Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Ali Wazir were produced before Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain on Monday. Imaan’s legal team argued that “Police have not yet found anything,” and that “officials had also not investigated anything related to Imaan”.
It was also mentioned that Imaan fainted at the police station and was unable to meet her mother. “Imaan Mazari wants accountability of institutions for which she is being called a terrorist,”
Similarly, Ali Wazir affirmed that “nothing wrong” has been done and that they had insisted the interim government let them gather in islamabad. “We wanted our voices to be heard in Islamabad”, added Wazir.
The court reversed its verdict and granted a three-day physical remand of the two.
On Sunday, 20 August, human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and former lawmaker Ali Wazir were arrested by “unidentified persons”. While the reasons for the arrests have not been given by the police, Islamabad Capital Police stated, “No one is authorised to give a statement from a police station.”
Imaan Mazari’s mother, Shireen Mazari, said while talking to the media that Imaan was dragged out and taken away. The policewomen also dragged Shireen Mazari herself but the officials let her go since they were only there to arrest Imaan Mazari.
About twenty men made their way to Imaan’s bedroom and confiscated her laptop and phone. They did not let her change her clothes either and dragged her out where another 20 officials were standing outside. No men, however, wore police uniforms.
The cases so far
On Friday, 18 August, approximately 300 people attended the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement protest in Islamabad. The speakers included Ali Wazir and Imaan Mazari. The focus of the speeches was condemnation of discrimination against the Pashtuns and called for the return of missing persons.
Imaan Mazari and Ali Wazir were presented before district and sessions court where Judicial Magistrate Ihtasham Alam Khan heard two of their cases on Sunday.
In the first, terrorism case, the investigating officer (IO) requested for a 10-day physical remand. The judge, however, has ordered for the two to be presented in an anti-terrorism court. Imaan was to be kept in a women police station till Monday.
In the other case, the IO requested a five-day physical remand for Mazari and Wazir but the judge said the court could not grant Imaan’s physical remand.
She has been sent on 14-day judicial remand with orders to be produced on September 2 whereas Wazir has been granted two-day physical remand after pre and post-medical examination.
Two first information reports (FIR) have been registered against Wazir and Imaan.
The first FIR was registered on the complaint of Tarnol Station House Officer (SHO) Miam Mohammad Imran who was present at Tarnol Phatak chowk to ensure peace during a rally led by Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM). According to the complainant, the rallly devaited from the allocated area violating no-objection certificate
The SHO has claimed that the participants of about 700-800 were armed with sticks who attacked the police, official vehicles, and shut down shops when asked to restore access to GT road that they had blocked.
The second FIR was registered under the complaint of Inspector Mohammad Ashraf who was present when about 950 PTM supporters blocked GT road. He said that people including Manzoor Pashteen and Iman Mazari spoke against the state, inciting hatred and revolt.
A PTM spokesperson told AFP that many more members have also been detained since Friday protests.
