ISLAMABAD – In a controversial incident Monday morning, human rights activists Advocate Imaan Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chatha, were arrested in Islamabad after allegedly taking the law into their own hands by attempting to confront law enforcement. The couple reportedly interfered with a security route set up for an international cricket team, leading police to detain them on charges detailed in a “sealed FIR.”
In a statement on social media, Islamabad Police confirmed the arrest, stating, “Legal action has been taken against Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha in accordance with regulations for creating a security risk during a high-profile event.” The arrest stems from an incident captured on video Friday, showing Mazari and Chatha engaging in a heated altercation with Islamabad traffic police over a road closure near Zero Point, where a cricket match between Pakistan and England was set to take place.
According to sources, a sealed FIR was filed at Abpara police station, containing charges kept confidential from the public and even the accused.
This move has sparked concern among legal experts. Lawyer Usman Riaz Gill expressed unease over the secrecy surrounding the FIR, stating, “It’s a violation of constitutional rights.
Arrests should include disclosure of charges; a sealed FIR denies the accused their right to a fair defence under Article 10 of the Constitution.”
