Human rights lawyer Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari has filed a reference against Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), escalating an ongoing dispute between the two.
The move comes after the IHC administration, on the Chief Justice’s orders, reassigned the authority to hear workplace harassment complaints from Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz to Justice Inaam Amin Minhas.
Last week, tensions between Advocate Mazari and Chief Justice Dogar surfaced publicly during the hearing of a petition seeking the removal of Baloch politician and Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Dr Mahrang Baloch’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL). The exchange in court reportedly involved heated remarks, with the Chief Justice warning Mazari of possible contempt proceedings. The remarks drew condemnation from some lawyers’ associations, who called for the Chief Justice’s removal.
Following the incident, Mazari lodged complaints against Chief Justice Dogar both with the High Court’s workplace harassment committee and with the SJC. In her statement, she alleged that Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz was abruptly removed from her post despite having already formed a three-member committee to hear her complaint. Mazari argued that the decision reflected a lack of transparency and demonstrated how harassment complaints by women are not taken seriously within the judicial system.
She further claimed that cases against her were deliberately placed before Chief Justice Dogar’s bench, and that investigative agencies, including cybercrime units, had been used to exert pressure on her. According to Mazari, the Interior Ministry constituted a special prosecution team against her, and a challan was filed in a trial court and fixed for immediate hearing. She urged the SJC to act against Chief Justice Dogar, accusing him of misconduct and misuse of authority that obstructs her professional work and the rights of her clients.
Meanwhile, a separate reference has been filed with the Islamabad Bar Council seeking the cancellation of Mazari’s licence to practise law. The petition alleges that she has been involved in anti-state activities, including campaigns against state institutions, and accuses her of links with proscribed organisations such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and with leaders of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM). The reference calls for her licence to be suspended immediately and permanently revoked.
Meanwhile, talking to the media, Mazari said: “We have been accused of supporting the BLA, but the tweet attached to support that claim simply says that enforced disappearances must be accounted for and that Dr Mahrang should be released.”
Both matters, Mazari’s complaints against the Chief Justice and the reference seeking cancellation of her law licence, are pending before the respective forums.