Ali Wazir was apprehended on Saturday, while Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir was taken into custody from her residence on Sunday morning.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 21st, 2023) An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday granted the police a three-day physical remand for human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and former lawmaker Ali Wazir in connection to a sedition case.
Ali Wazir was apprehended on Saturday, while Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir was taken into custody from her residence on Sunday morning. The arrests followed the registration of two first information reports (FIRs) against both individuals at Islamabad’s Tarnol police station and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station.
These arrests occurred after a public gathering organized by the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) two days earlier. Both Ali Wazir, a member of PTM, and Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir had addressed the rally. Social media videos circulated with speakers criticizing the military establishment for enforced disappearances.
On Sunday, both individuals appeared before Judicial Magistrate Ihtasham Alam Khan's court. The detailed court order revealed that the investigating officer (IO) sought a 10-day physical remand under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.
The magistrate granted a one-day remand and directed the police to present them before an anti-terrorism court on the following Monday.
As a result, the two were brought before ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain earlier on that day. Prior to the proceedings, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir embraced her mother Shireen Mazari and became emotional.
During the hearing, Imaan’s legal team, led by Zainab Janjua, argued that the police had already obtained a one-day remand for their client. Janjua stated, "Police have yet to discover any evidence," and also highlighted that no investigations concerning Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir had been conducted.
Janjua insisted that Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir was not a flight risk and urged the court to move her to judicial custody.
The judge inquired about the allegations against Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, to which Prosecutor Raja Naveed responded that anti-state speeches had been made during a rally in Islamabad.
Naveed also noted a similar case registered against Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir in 2022. He stressed that additional evidence had not been obtained from the suspect and mentioned the necessity of conducting a photogrammetric test and a voice matching test. Naveed appealed to the court to grant the police physical custody for these purposes.
He also mentioned that officials intended to identify further suspects through Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Ali Wazir.
The FIR against the two individuals included charges under Sections 124A (sedition), 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), 149 (offence committed by a member of an unlawful assembly), 153 (inciting to riot), 153A (promoting enmity between groups), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The FIR indicated that during a PTM rally, participants confronted the police with sticks when efforts were made to halt their movement towards Islamabad. The crowd blocked the Grand Trunk Road, leading to further disruptions.
A second FIR, registered by Inspector Mohammad Ashraf, included additional charges under Sections 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) and 11 (power to order forfeiture) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, along with Section 21i. This complaint mentioned incitement to rebellion, weakening the army, promoting terrorism, and threatening the judiciary, among other claims.
Both Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Ali Wazir addressed the rally, condemning harassment against Pakhtuns and calling for the return of missing people.
A PTM spokesperson revealed that numerous other members were also detained following the protest held in the capital.
