A formal reference to Islamabad Bar Council has been submitted, seeking cancellation of lawyer Imaan Mazari’s license to practice the law. The development was the result of a growing legal and professional dispute involving Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
According to Express News on Tuesday, the reference was filed by lawyer Adnan Iqbal, who has claimed that Mazari is involved in activities ‘considered to be against the state’. The petitioner has requested the Bar Council to revoke his license permanently and initiate a formal study.
This development comes in the wake of escalating tension between Mazari and Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar. Last week, a verbal exchange took place during a hearing on a petition that sought the removal of Baloch Yakjehti committee leader Mahrang Baloch’s name from Exit Control List (ECL), a case in which Mazari appeared as an advisor.
During the hearing, CJ Dogar Mazari admonished, where he said, “You should keep your mouth shut and stay within respect of respect,” reportedly in response to Mazari’s comments, he claimed, was out of the legal extent. He also mentioned her to have called him a ‘dictator’ and refused to issue any directive in the case.
After the incident, Mazari posted on X: “I was there on behalf of my client, not as an activist Imaan Mazari,” added that she had led ‘according to the professional label (and a court should do the same)’.
She has filed a formal complaint with IHC’s Female Harassment Survey Committee, led by Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, under protection against the harassment of women in the Workplace Act. In the complaint, she seeks a study of whether Chief Justice Dogar made ‘gender -based and threatening remarks’ against her.
She has also requested that the case be forwarded to the competent authority – the highest legal council – for further action.
Read more: Leader of IHC’s Harchel Panel replaced
In a follow-up post on X, Mazari said: “I have filed a supplement to my original complaint that was filed yesterday to the Supreme Court’s advice against Chief Justice Dogar after the alarming development that took place yesterday, where the honorary judge who was competent authority to harass cases was arbitrarily and with Mala Fide-Intention changed only a few hours after I had my complaint.”
She referred to a decision made by IHC, where the court on Monday replaced the head of her harassment committee with the approval of Justice Dogar.
According to sources, righteousness inaam Ameen Minhas has been appointed the new leader of the woman’s harassment committee, while justice Saman Rafat has been removed from the post
A notification was issued with Chief Justice’s approval. Sources said details of the decision to remove Justice Rafat from the role will be released separately.
