Islamabad’s lawyers started a three-day strike on Monday after the arrest and sentencing of advocates Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, with boycotts halting court proceedings across the capital. Islamabad High Court Bar Association Secretary Manzoor Jajja confirmed that lawyers had been asked not to appear before courts. “Today, lawyers staged a strike in the Islamabad High Court. Lawyers did not appear in court, as requested,” he said.

Jajja said lawyers must remain united against what he described as police oppression and announced that they would proceed to the district courts in a convoy to formally register their protest. A rally later moved from the Deputy Commissioner’s office to the adjoining SSP office, where lawyers chanted slogans against the police.  The Islamabad Bar also banned police entry into court premises. Lawyers removed police personnel who had been stationed in the court canteen.

Earlier in the day, a separate demonstration was held outside the Sessions Judge East court, where additional police were deployed to maintain order.  The strike also surfaced during a civil case hearing at the Islamabad High Court. Advocate Qaiser Abbas Gondal, appearing for one of the parties, informed the court that the strike was being observed in response to the detention of lawyers. He said the Bar Secretary was also scheduled to appear in the case but did not attend due to the strike.

IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar sought details of the arrests, asking, “Which lawyers have been arrested?” Gondal replied that Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha had been detained. The chief justice then asked, “Do you consider them lawyers?” Gondal did not respond. “If you consider them lawyers, you may come to chamber and express your opinion,” the chief justice added. 

Due to the strike, no progress was made in the scheduled court hearings.  Mazari and Chattha were arrested on Friday in Islamabad while reportedly heading to the district courts. An anti-terrorism court later sent them on a 14-day judicial remand. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)