ISLAMABAD – A dramatic shift has unfolded within the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz took cognisance of a harassment complaint filed by lawyer Imaan Mazari against IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar. Following her action, the court administration swiftly stripped Justice Imtiaz of her powers to handle harassment complaints, sparking intense debate within the legal community.
Imaan Mazari had earlier approached the IHC’s anti-harassment committee and submitted a reference to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against CJ Dogar. Acting as the competent authority under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010, Justice Imtiaz not only entertained Mazari’s complaint but also formed an inquiry committee with fellow judges to probe the allegations.
However, in a surprising move, Justice Imtiaz was de-notified and replaced with Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas. According to court officials, the decision was justified because the 2010 Act may not apply to judges, who can only be tried under Article 209 of the Constitution. Additionally, under subsection 4 of section 4 of the Act, a competent authority cannot simultaneously be part of the inquiry committee.
This development follows heated courtroom exchanges between Imaan Mazari and CJ Dogar last week, where Justice Dogar reportedly warned Mazari of contempt. Mazari responded that she was performing her professional duty and was prepared to face contempt proceedings.
In a separate case, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has filed a challan against Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chatha, regarding allegedly controversial tweets. The case, registered under Pakistan’s cybercrime laws, will be heard on September 17 by Senior Civil Judge Abbas Shah.
