Pakistan: An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) issued human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali a physical remand for three days on Tuesday for allegedly “creating a security risk” by removing road barriers.
The Islamabad police arrested the couple a day ago for “creating a security risk by interfering in state duties during the visit of an international cricket team.”
On October 25, a video purportedly showed Imaan and Ali allegedly moving road barriers to clear the way for traffic.
As the lawyers attempted to remove the barriers multiple times, traffic constables and a man in a jacket could be seen moving them back to their original positions in the video.
The couple’s arrest was condemned by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), which stated that it was made on “vague charges.” Barrister Aqeel Malik, the government’s legal affairs spokesperson, also strongly criticized the arrest.
Even though the police statement from yesterday said, “interference in state duties — an offence charged under Section 186 of the Pakistan Penal Code,” it turned out today that a first information report (FIR) against the couple also mentioned Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which says, “punishment for acts of terrorism.”
A copy of the FIR, which can be found on Dawn.com, was filed at the Aabpara police station in Islamabad on October 25—nearly an hour after the incident’s stated time.
Sections 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and 506(ii) (criminal intimidation if threat be to cause death or grievous harm, etc.) of the PPC were also invoked in addition to the terrorism charge and section 186 of the PPC.
The FIR, which was filed in response to the complaint of sub-inspector Tanveer Athar, also included the handwritten addition of section 120B of the PPC—penalty for criminal conspiracy.
Today, Ali and Imaan were shown to ATC judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain. Shireen Mazari, Imaan’s mother and a former minister of human rights, was also present at the court.
