Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed a defamation case registered against human rights activist Imaan Mazari-Hazir after the latter issued an “unconditional apology” for her remarks against the armed forces.
Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah heard the petition.
An FIR was filed on May 26 at the Ramna police station against Imaan Mazari-Hazir following her remarks against the institutions when her mother, former Human rights minister Shireen Mazari, was detained by Punjab’s anti-corruption department in a case related to the encroachment of a piece of land in District Rajanpur.
Read: IHC grants Imaan Mazari pre-arrest bail
In the FIR, the complainant had said, “[Imaan Mazari-hazir] abused the senior military leadership of the Pakistan Army. Her derogatory statements are highly disparaging.”
“Such statements, made with the intent to cause and create unrest and chaos in the Pakistan Army, which is also leading to the punishable offence,” the FIR read.
However, at the outset of today’s hearing, Imaan Mazari-Hazir appeared before the IHC with her counsel Zainab Janjua.
Mazari’s lawyer argued that despite their concerns, they became part of the investigation under the direction of the court.
“We were giving some statements to the police. They were writing something else. We told the police that we would submit a written statement ourselves. We had said on day one only that there was no justification for what was said,” the lawyer said.
The IHC remarked that being a responsible citizen, Imaan Mazari should not have passed such remarks, adding she has now tendered an unconditional apology and that there is no need for the FIR against her.
“Imaan Mazari has apologized, what else do you want?” CJP asked the defence ministry lawyer.
“She should apologize for her statement in the press,” the ministry lawyer said.
To which, Justice Minallah asked the ministry’s lawyer to look at the time of her statement and what had happened to her mother at that time.
After the arguments were concluded, CJ accepted Mazari’s plea of dismissing the case and quashed the FIR filed against her.
