ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday directed the authorities concerned to keep the human rights defender Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir at Women police station in Islamabad until her bail hearing on Saturday, moments after ordering a two-week judicial remand in Adiala jail Rawalpindi in the terrorism case.
Imaan and former lawmaker Ali Wazir were arrested on August 20 for alleged sedition, two days after a public meeting of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) in Islamabad. Videos circulating on social media showed speakers criticizing the military establishment for the enforced disappearances.
The next day, on 21 August, the Islamabad ATC granted police a three-day physical remand for Mazari and Ali Wazir in a sedition case.
On August 28, she was granted bail in a sedition case but was re-arrested within hours by the Islamabad police in connection with a freshly filed terror case. The following day, the ATC handed her over to the police for three days of physical custody in the same case.
After her physical custody ended on Friday, she was brought before the court of Judge Abul Hasnaat Muhammad Zulqarnain. Her lawyer Zainab Janjua, public prosecutor Raja Naveed and her mother Shireen Mazari were also present in the court for the terror case.
At the beginning of the hearing, the prosecutor asked for the extension of Imaan’s physical custody, at which Judge Zulqarnain asked about the current status of the case.
He then ordered that Imaan be sent to judicial custody in Adiala jail.
Shortly after, another member of Imaan’s legal team, Qaiser Imam, immediately filed a bail application, which was also heard by the same court.
The court issued a bail application notice to the police and asked them to respond by September 4. However, Imaan’s lawyer Zainab Janjua, requested that the hearing be held on Saturday due to health reasons and the fact that Imaan is a woman.
Lawyer Qaiser Imam informed the court that his client’s health is not good.
An early hearing application was subsequently accepted and the court issued orders to detain Imaan at the women’s police station in Islamabad until the bail hearing on Saturday (tomorrow).
The court also modified the notice to the police and asked them to respond by September 2.
