The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) has strongly rejected claims that it played any role in the arrests of lawyers Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, calling the allegations unfounded and unfair.
Speaking on Thursday, IHCBA Secretary Manzoor Jajja said there was no truth in remarks suggesting the Bar facilitated the couple’s arrest. He termed the comments regrettable, especially as they came from Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, who had earlier criticised the lawyers’ strike and suggested that the Bar itself helped send the two lawyers to jail before protesting.
Jajja stressed that the Bar operates strictly within the law and stands firmly with its members. He said lawyers rely on legal arguments, not force, to defend their rights, and added that judges should avoid commenting on Bar affairs, which fall under the authority of Bar Councils.
He explained that the Bar actively supported Mazari and Chattha by keeping them at the Bar office for two days and seeking legal relief on their behalf. On the Bar’s request, interim bail was granted in multiple cases, and efforts were made to secure further protection. Jajja said the Bar also blocked police entry into court premises and organised a rally in solidarity with the arrested lawyers.
According to him, the Bar did more than observe a strike. He said strong resistance was shown, with the District Bar and Islamabad Bar Council joining the protest. He added that the Bar prevented the couple’s arrest for two days and continued to stand by them throughout the process.
Islamabad lawyers launched a three-day strike earlier this week following the arrest and sentencing of Imaan Mazari and Chattha, bringing court proceedings in the capital to a halt. Lawyers also held rallies and demonstrations, chanting slogans against what they described as police high-handedness.
Mazari and Chattha were taken into custody on Friday while reportedly heading to the district courts. An anti-terrorism court later placed them on 14-day judicial remand. A district court subsequently sentenced the couple to 17 years in prison in a case linked to controversial social media posts.
The case relates to alleged content shared on X, formerly Twitter, which authorities described as anti-state. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency registered the case last year under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. Mazari has claimed mistreatment during custody and refused to participate in court proceedings.
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association has reiterated that it rejects any suggestion of complicity and remains committed to protecting lawyers’ rights and upholding legal principles.
