Rights activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir on Saturday submitted an application to the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) registrar for the preservation of CCTV footage of an “unfortunate incident[1]” that took place with her — a reference to her exchange with IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar — earlier this week.
In her application to the IHC registrar,which Mazari shared on X, she said: “I write to you today to seek [the] preservation of CCTV footage of the Honourable Chief Justice’s courtroom no.1 from September 11, 2025 between 9am and 11am, as an unfortunate incident took place with the undersigned counsel, as a result of which it is imperative that the exchange recorded on the CCTV footage is preserved.
“I would also request [the] provision of a copy of the CCTV footage from the aforementioned date and time on the USB I have annexed herewith this instant application.”
The proceedings that Mazari referred to in her application are from a hearing on Thursday, during which she represented her client — who sought the removal of rights activist Mahrang Baloch’s name from the Exit Control List — in the court of IHC CJ Dogar.
At the hearing, Justice Dogar had warned Mazari of a contempt of court case and was reported to have gone as far as passing warning remarks along the lines of “getting hold of her”.
For her part, Mazari had said that she was only fulfilling her professional duty and was prepared to face contempt proceedings if the court deemed it necessary.
A day later at the hearing of another case, Justice Dogar provided a clarification[2] on the matter, saying that his words were presented out of context. He also denied saying anything along the lines of “getting hold of” Mazari — a claim contested by Mazari’s husband Hadi Ali Chattha who also attended Thursday’s hearing.
In his clarification, Justice Dogar also said that Mazari was “like a daughter” to him, and he was only trying to explain things to her the previous day.
“I was explaining to her just as (I would) to a child, but she was not understanding. She was repeatedly mentioning fundamental rights. Does this court not have any fundamental rights,” he said.
His remarks drew criticism[3] from the country’s legal fraternity and Mazari herself, who termed his remarks “sexist”.
A number of lawyers’ bodies and bar associations issued statements condemning the IHC CJ’s behaviour, with some even demanding that he be removed from his office.
The Lahore High Court Bar Association strongly condemned the exchange, saying that lawyers were “officer[s] of the court” and their respect and dignity should be prioritised, just like those of respected judges. It urged the Supreme Judicial Council to remove Justice Dogar from his post.
This demand was echoed by the Balochistan Bar Council as well, while the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) strongly condemned the “highly inappropriate conduct” of Justice Dogar.
The Women’s Action Forum was also outraged by the judge’s reported remarks, and condemned the “highly objectionable patriarchal misogynist anti-women remarks and behaviour … patronising language employed in addressing and instructing the lawyer’s spouse…”.
References
- ^ unfortunate incident (www.dawn.com)
- ^ provided a clarification (www.dawn.com)
- ^ criticism (www.dawn.com)