Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir has filed a complaint before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar. The move comes after Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, who took up Mazari’s workplace harassment complaint against the chief justice, was abruptly stripped of her powers to hear such matters.
Background of the Dispute
The controversy began when Justice Dogar allegedly warned Mazari of contempt proceedings and made remarks considered intimidating. Following this, Mazari lodged a harassment complaint before the high court’s workplace harassment committee. She also submitted a reference against the IHC chief justice before the SJC.
Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, the only female judge of the IHC, accepted Mazari’s complaint. However, the administration quickly removed her as the competent authority, replacing her with Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas. This sudden decision has been criticized as an attempt to suppress the complaint process.
Additional Complaint to the SJC
In her latest filing, Mazari argued that her complaint was initially blocked by various branches of the court, forcing her to submit it directly to Justice Imtiaz. She claimed that male officials at the IHC refused to even receive her complaint. Justice Imtiaz then formed a three-member inquiry committee, but within hours she was removed from her role.
Mazari alleged that Justice Dogar acted with “mala fide intent” and abused his administrative powers by interfering with the composition of the inquiry authority. She stressed that this development exposed a lack of transparency and reflected systemic barriers faced by women when reporting harassment in the judiciary.
Allegations of Abuse of Authority
Mazari also raised concerns about her legal cases being fixed before Justice Dogar after her complaint. According to her, requests to transfer cases were denied, and the chief justice attempted to engage her proxy counsel in discussions about the harassment matter.
She further noted that a challan against her was hastily submitted to a trial court by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Authority (NCCIA) soon after the harassment complaint. A prosecution team was also nominated by the Ministry of Interior. Mazari suggested that these actions demonstrated the chief justice’s influence and misuse of authority.
Call for Urgent Action
Mazari has urged the SJC to consider her complaint and supporting documents without delay. She argued that unchecked misconduct and coercive powers exercised by the IHC chief justice were impacting her practice and her clients’ rights. She called for immediate proceedings to ensure accountability.
Reference Filed Against Imaan Mazari
In a separate development, a lawyer filed a reference before the Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) seeking the cancellation of Mazari’s licence. The complaint accused her of involvement in anti-state activities, hate speech, and campaigns against state institutions. It further alleged links with banned groups such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM).
The reference requested her licence be suspended during the inquiry under Section 41 of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973 and relevant disciplinary rules. The complainant argued that Mazari consistently supported movements challenging the state and delivered speeches critical of national institutions.
The matter has now created a storm in legal and political circles. On one side, Mazari has demanded judicial accountability, while on the other, she faces accusations that could threaten her right to practice law. The SJC and IBC proceedings are expected to test both the independence of the judiciary and the fairness of disciplinary mechanisms in Pakistan’s legal framework.
