Imaan Mazari granted pre-arrest bail in 'derogatory and hateful' remarks case

Islamabad: Lawyer and civil rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari has secured a pre-arrest bail in a case about using ‘derogatory’ remarks against state institutions, ARY News reported. 

Imaan Mazari is the daughter of former Human rights minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari.

Islamabad High court has granted pre-arrest interim bail to Mazari in a case registered against her for using derogatory remarks against state institutions.

The case was lodged against her by Lt Colonel Humayun Akhtar at Islamabad’s Ramna Police Station under PPC Sections 138 (Abetment of act of insubordination by soldier) and 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief).

Humayun Akhtar is the representative of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) branch of the General Headquarters (GHQ).

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JAG is the Pakistan Armed Forces branch which comprises senior lawyers, judges and officers providing legal services to the armed forces.

According to the statement, Imaan made a ‘derogatory and hateful’ statement on May 21, the day her mother was arrested from outside her house.

“Derogatory statements are highly disparaging, aimed to cause and incite mutiny/intimidation amongst rank and file of the Pakistan Army”, adding that they led to “ridicule and created hatred within the Pakistan Army, while also causing unrest within the institution” the FIR read.

Imaan’s lawyer challenged the FIR terming it ill-founded and calling the allegations absurd. Her lawyer argued that her client was being made a “victim of ulterior motives and highhandedness of the complainant and others, who are highly influential”.

The court admitted her plea and granted Mazari-Hazir pre-arrest bail for two weeks.