From left: Imaan Mazari and Ali Wazir
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Monday granted police three-day physical remand of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Ali Wazir and human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari, who were both arrested late on Saturday night following controversial speeches at a rally a day earlier.
The prosecution had sought 10-day physical remand of the suspects in a case pertaining to sedition, intimidation, and inciting people, but Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain only granted three days. Both Wazir and Mazari have denied all allegations against him.
During today’s proceedings at the Islamabad Judicial Complex, Imaan told her mother she had gone on hunger strike, adding she had not yet been questioned by investigators. Her lawyer told the single-member bench that she had been remanded into police custody for a day and sought her release, maintaining she posed no risk of escape and would attend all proceedings.
The lawyer also noted that police had confiscated Imaan’s mobile phone and laptop when they arrested her and questioned why no evidence had been presented against her. “Two similar cases have been registered against Imaan Mazari. She is accused of benefiting anti-national elements with her speech,” he said, reiterating that it was not necessary for her to remain in custody, as her speech was easily available on social media.
“They want to declare Imaan Mazari a terrorist, but the police are forgetting that they also have mothers and sisters at home,” he said and sought permission from the ATC to meet his client, which the court granted.
Speaking with media after the hearing, Imaan’s mother, former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, claimed her daughter had fainted in the police van after she was arrested. “Despite being unconscious, she was not allowed to see a doctor,” she alleged, adding her daughter was now refusing to eat in protest.
“The enemy wants something bad to happen to my daughter,” she claimed, alleging further Imaan’s life was in danger in jail.
Wazir, meanwhile, said “nothing wrong” was said at the rally, stressing he wished to convey this message to Islamabad. The prosecution, however, argued that it needed to question both Mazari and Wazir to determine the locations of other accused who were allegedly involved in inciting the public against state institutions at the PTM rally.