ISLAMABAD; The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice, Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, on Thursday cautioned lawyer and rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari that contempt of court proceedings could be initiated against her after allegedly referring to him as a “dictator.”
The exchange unfolded during the hearing of a petition filed by Mazari on behalf of detained activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch, whose name has been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) since her arrest in March. The plea sought the removal of her name to enable her to travel abroad.
At one point in the hearing, Justice Dogar remarked that if he issued an order, Mazari would “go downstairs and say a dictator is sitting here.” Mazari responded that she had not made any statement outside the limits of law.
The judge retorted that she should remain “within the boundaries of respect,” to which Mazari clarified that any comments she had made were in her personal capacity and should not affect her client’s case.
Justice Dogar pressed further, suggesting she had called him a dictator and asked whether contempt proceedings should be initiated. Mazari maintained she had acted within the framework of the Constitution and law, adding, “If you want to proceed with contempt, please do so. The Constitution gives me the right to freedom of expression.”
The exchange escalated when the judge addressed Mazari’s husband, warning him to “make her understand,” prompting Mazari to respond that if courts resorted to threatening lawyers, then contempt charges should be pursued openly.
Following the hearing, Mazari posted on X, stressing that inside the courtroom she appeared as a lawyer, not as an activist, and expected the court to uphold professional decorum. She reiterated that her client’s case should not be jeopardized due to disagreements with her as counsel.
Mazari, an outspoken critic of state policies, has faced multiple legal challenges. Earlier this week, she and her husband secured interim bail in a case accusing them of anti-state activity on social media. The FIR filed by the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency accused the couple of promoting ethnic discord and portraying the armed forces as complicit in terrorism.
In recent months, Mazari has also called for inquiries into judicial interference by intelligence agencies, and she has previously been booked alongside Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leaders over alleged anti-state marches.
The incident highlights growing friction between outspoken rights defenders and Pakistan’s judiciary, underscoring the broader tensions surrounding freedom of expression and dissent in the country.
