An anti-terror court in Pakistan granted human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari-Hazir and former lawmaker Ali Wazir post-arrest bail in a sedition case on Monday. The arrests stemmed from their participation in a public rally where both of them slammed the all-powerful military over enforced disappearances in the country.
Imaan was taken into custody from her home on August 20, while prominent Pashtun leader Wazir was arrested on August 19. The first information report (FIR) was filed against them at Islamabad’s Tarnol police station and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station, the Dawn newspaper reported.
‘Cases of Rioting and Sedation’
The FIRs against Imaan and Wazir were registered on August 19 at the Tarnol police station and CTD police station. The first FIR charged them with various offenses including rioting armed with deadly weapons, unlawful assembly, and criminal intimidation. The complaint alleged that during the PTM rally, participants armed with sticks confronted police officers, obstructed traffic, and engaged in acts of violence.
The second FIR invoked sedition charges under Section 124A, among other offenses. The police alleged that Imaan and Wazir’s speeches aimed to incite rebellion, weaken the army, and promote terrorism. The FIR specifically noted their attempt to create distance between Pashtun and the army, causing fear by threatening to march towards Islamabad.
Court Rejects Remand
According to the Dawn, the Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) rejected the prosecution’s request to extend Imaan and Wazir’s physical remand in the sedition case. Instead, they were sent to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on judicial remand.
In an earlier court hearing on August 22, Imaan had been granted post-arrest bail in a rioting and dacoity case, although she remained in custody due to the sedition charges. During the recent hearing, the presiding judge read aloud a script of Imaan’s speech from the PTM rally.
The prosecution opposed granting bail, highlighting the need for further forensic examination of a USB found in Imaan’s possession. However, the ATC granted both suspects post-arrest bail against surety bonds of 30,000 Pakistani Rupees each. Despite the bail, the release from jail had not yet occurred for either individual, the newspaper said.
Pakistan media said that nearly 3,000 people attended the PTM rally in Islamabad, where both Imaan and Wazir condemned harassment against Pashtuns and called for the return of missing individuals. A PTM spokesperson stated that dozens more members had been detained since the protest.
Human Rights Outcry
The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) termed the arrests as an attempt to “suppress dissent, emphasizing the importance of upholding due process". “In arresting Imaan Mazari and others, Pakistani authorities are using vague, overboard anti-terrorism laws to stifle dissent. The government should uphold the right to due process," the statement added.
In his government’s defence, the federal information and broadcasting minister Murtaza Solangi told the BBC that Mazari-Hazir’s speech was a “condemnable act". “I can’t even imagine the result of such speeches. Pakistan is a nuclear state. How can someone say that the commander or chief of the army, sitting in the Headquarters is involved in terrorism?"