Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari has been arrested by the Bara Kahu police Islamabad outside Adiala Jail after getting bail from ATC this morning. According to her lawyer, no new FIR or arrest warrant has been shared with them.
On Monday morning, an Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has granted bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Ali Wazir in a sedition case related to controversial speeches allegedly made against state institutions at PTM’s public rally.
The two were arrested on August 20 and sent on physical remand after they were accused of delivering a controversial speech.
ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain heard the plea and approved post-arrest bail of Imaan and Wazir against surety bonds of Rs30,000 each.
On August 19, two first information reports (FIR) were registered against Imaan and Wazir at the Tarnol police station and Counter-Terrorism Department police station.
Both were booked on the charges of sedition, preventing government officials from carrying out their duties and damaging public property.
The cases so far
Two first information reports (FIR) have been registered against Wazir and Imaan.
The first FIR was registered on the complaint of Tarnol Station House Officer (SHO) Mian Mohammad Imran who was present at Tarnol Phatak chowk to ensure peace during a rally led by PTM. According to the complainant, the rallly devaited from the allocated area violating no-objection certificate
The FIR was filed under Sections 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 395 (punishment for dacoity), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt) and 506ii (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The SHO has claimed that the participants, numbering about 700-800, were armed with sticks and attacked the police, official vehicles, and shut down shops when asked to restore access to GT road that they had blocked.
The second FIR was registered under the complaint of Inspector Mohammad Ashraf who was present when about 950 PTM supporters blocked GT road. He said that people including Manzoor Pashteen and Iman Mazari spoke against the state, inciting hatred and revolt. The second FIR was registered under PPC Sections 124A (sedition), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) among others.
