A lawyer on Tuesday filed a reference before the Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) seeking the cancellation of Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir’s practising licence for her alleged involvement in “anti-state activities” and a “smear campaign against state functionaries”.
The reference against Mazari comes in the wake of her recent complaints against Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar before the IHC and the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) following last week’s altercation between them.
The reference, filed by Advocate Adnan Iqbal and a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, stated: “The complainant has received some information from credible sources that Mst. Imaan Zainab Mazari Hazir has been involved
on a number of occasions in anti-state activities like hate speeches against the state institutions and the honourable heads of government departments, negative and smear campaign against state functionaries and law enforcement agencies, and instigating hatred and rebellion against vital institutions of the state.”
It requested the IBC chairman and its disciplinary committee to initiate an inquiry against Mazari and “permanently cancel her licence to practice as an advocate”. “During the inquiry, her licence may kindly be suspended till final verdict of the worthy disciplinary committee,” it added.
The reference was filed under Section 41 of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973 (punishment of advocates for misconduct), read with Chapter X (disciplinary proceedings) of its 1976 rules and the Islamabad Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules 2017.
The reference alleged there was “strong persuasive evidence” against Mazari for her “close connections with anti-state organisations”, such as the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leader Manzoor Pashteen.
“She has been supporting the cause of every movement which has the agenda of rebellion against the state and its vital institutions. She could be seen delivering speeches, chanting fiery slogans against the state and its institutions on every such stage adorned for launching anti-state campaign,” it further claimed.
In June, Mazari won the Young Inspiration Award 2025 by the Norway-based World Expression Forum for her efforts and work advocating for the rule of law and justice in the country.
On September 11, IHC Chief Justice Dogar had warned Mazari of a contempt of court case and was reported to have gone as far as passing warning remarks along the lines of “getting a hold of her”. Multiple lawyers’ bodies had issued condemnatory statements and called for the judge’s dismissal from the post of the IHC top judge.
Mazari then filed a complaint against the judge before the IHC’s workplace harassment committee and a reference for misconduct before the SJC.
After Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz took cognisance of her complaint, the IHC administration de-notified her as the “competent authority” and replaced her with Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas, stripping Justice Imtiaz of her powers to entertain harassment complaints.
More to follow
