Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Sardar Sarfraz Dogar has clarified his earlier remarks about lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari, stating that his words were taken out of context and distorted. During the hearing of another case on Friday, Justice Dogar said his comments in a previous case (about Dr Mahrang Baloch and her name on the ECL) were misrepresented, creating unnecessary controversy. 

“Imaan Mazari is like my daughter,” he explained. “As Chief Justice and as an elder, I was only trying to guide her, but my remarks were twisted into something they were not.” The Chief Justice noted that he had only advised Imaan Mazari that while she can disagree with judicial decisions, personal attacks should not be made.“Since yesterday, it has been spread that I said I would have her arrested.

In reality, I had addressed Hadi Sahib, warning that if she was not stopped, I would proceed with contempt of court,” Justice Dogar clarified. He further emphasised that his intention was just to prevent any harm to Imaan Mazari’s career.“I told her she is free to disagree with my judgements, but she should have had to avoid an attack on me personally. I never said I would "arrest" her. The phrase has been misrepresented,” he added.

Justice Dogar recalled that he had asked Hadi Sahib to take her aside; otherwise, he would be compelled to begin contempt of court proceedings. “If that happened, it would damage her career,” he said. “I spoke to her as one would to their own child. But she kept insisting on fundamental rights. Does this court not also have fundamental rights?

”It is pertinent to mention here that yesterday On Thursday, an exchange of hot words was witnessed between Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Sarfaraz Dogar and Advocate Imaan Mazari, counsel for Dr Mahrang Baloch, a Baloch nationalist and detained leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Council (BYC), during the hearing of the case of excluding the latter’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)