Human Rights Lawyer and Activist Iman Mazari-Hazir has submitted her written response in Islamabad High Court regarding a case filed on her.
In her response, Iman Mazari has termed the FIR against her as “baseless & filed with a malafied intent”. She also went on to say that during investigation she was shown two videos, one of which was not even mentioned in the FIR registered against her. Iman Mazari -Hazir went on to disclose in her statement that Her Mother and Former Human Rights Minister Dr. Shireen Mazari told her that, “She and Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa had been involved in two very heated altercations – the content of which I am not aware of. I was told by my mother that some untoward incident might occur as a result of these tense and heated exchanges between her and COAS”.
In para 7 of her response, Iman Mazari-Hazir has stated that the offence mentioned in FIR under section 505 PPC is not attracted in her case as, “the institution of army cannot claim to have been defamed by any criticism by any member of the public – no matter how harsh the critique.
She also mentions that, “The involvement of the JAG in registration of this instant FIR is in fact a direct contravention of the State of Pakistan’s obligations to uphold the right to freedom of expression.
A FIR was registered against Iman Mazari-Hazir regarding her comments on 21st May after her mother Dr. Shireen Mazari was arrested outside of her house.
“The lady abused the senior military leadership of Pakistan Army and her derogatory statements are highly disparaging aimed to cause and incite mutiny/intimidation amongst ranks and file of Pakistan Army. It also leads to ridicule and create hatred within the army which made out a serious offence,” reads the FIR.
After the FIR, Iman Mazari filed for pre-arrest bail in Islamabad High Court. Court granted her bail and ordered her to join the investigation.
