Human Rights lawyer and social activist Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha. Photo File
Islamabad police arrested lawyer and rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, on Friday, near the underpass outside Serena Hotel in Islamabad.
Former minister Shireen Mazari wrote on X that Imaan and Hadi “have been arrested and put in separate cars and taken away to unknown locations”.
“Fascism at its peak. Emasculated men in power must be so pleased with this achievement!” Mazari added.
Imaan @ImaanZHazir and Hadi @AdvHadiali have been arrested and put in separate cars and taken away to unknown locations – no fir shown and bar sadly could do nothing. Fascism at its peak. Emasculated men in power must be so pleased with this achievement!
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) January 23, 2026
Journalists present at the scene alleged that police personnel forcibly seized mobile phones from reporters covering the arrest.
Meanwhile, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Bar President Wajid Gilani accused the police of using excessive force during the arrest.
Gilani said, “We spoke to the authorities yesterday and to other institutions, and they gave an assurance that Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha would not be arrested and would be provided safe passage to the district court”.
He added that, due to fears of arrest, the lawyer couple approached IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar and “informed him that there is a possibility that we will be stopped; however, the chief justice did not hold court today”.
“They assaulted us, broke the windows of our vehicle, and then arrested Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha,” Gilani said, adding that even the bar secretary was subjected to violence.
Read: IHC restores bail, reinstates right of defence of Imaan Mazari, husband
The IHC on Wednesday granted two-day protective bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, in a newly surfaced case dating back to July 2025, barring their arrest during this period.
Justice Azam Khan from IHC directed the couple to approach the relevant trial court within two days and ordered them to submit bail bonds of Rs100,000 each.
The relief came after arrest warrants were issued in connection with the fresh FIR, forcing the couple to spend two nights at the Islamabad High Court Bar president’s office amid a heavy police presence outside the premises.
