Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari, daughter of former Pakistan minister Shireen Mazari, was arrested on Sunday morning.
Former Pakistan minister Shireen Mazari’s daughter and human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir was arrested on Sunday by the Islamabad Capital Police “for investigation”.
The arrest occurred just hours after Imaan Mazari took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to report an alleged break-in at her home, sparking outrage and concerns among activists and human rights groups.
Imaan Mazari had tweeted, “Unknown persons breaking down my home cameras banging gate jumped over (sic).” The message was posted at 3:50 am on Sunday, August 20.
The Islamabad Capital Police confirmed the arrests in a statement posted on X, saying, “Islamabad Capital Police has arrested Ali Wazir and Imaan Mazari. Both suspects were wanted by the Islamabad Police for investigation. All action will be taken in accordance with the law.”
The police did not specify the details of the case under investigation.
However, a Tarnol Police Station personnel said the young lawyer and activist was booked for interference in state affairs, staging a sit-in, and resistance, as per a report by news agency PTI.
FAMILY CALLS IT ABDUCTION
An hour after Imaan had posted the distressing message on X, her mother, former PTI leader Shireen Mazari, posted another alarming message, claiming that “policewomen, plainclothes people and r ager (sic) types took my daughter away after breaking down our front door.”
Shireen Mazari said that they also took away their security cameras and her daughter’s laptop and cell phone.
“We asked who they had come for and they just dragged Imaan out. They marched all over the house. My daughter was in her night clothes and said let me change, but they just dragged her away. There was no warrants or any legal procedures. This is state fascism. Remember we are only two women living in the house. This is an abduction,” Shireen Mazari said.
Later, Shireen Mazari told the local media that 20 people had entered their home, with more officials standing outside. “There were six female officers that I saw but there was no male wearing the blue uniform of Islamabad Police,” she was quoted as saying by Dawn.
This arrest follows Imaan’s recent participation in a rally for the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a group of Pushtu-speaking activists known for their criticism of the military establishment. At the rally, she openly criticised the powerful military, which had previously led to a criminal case against her for using abusive language towards former Army chief Gen (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Imaan’s mother, Shireen Mazari, had quit the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party following the May 9 attack on the country’s military installations and government buildings.