Pakistani human rights lawyer and activist Iman Mazari is once again at the centre of a high-profile legal and political storm, with her ongoing confrontation with Pakistan’s powerful military establishment drawing nationwide attention.

Iman Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha are facing trial for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Pakistan Army and state institutions. The couple was booked in October 2024, and their bail applications were recently rejected by a court in Islamabad.

Move to Summon DG ISPR as Witness

In a fresh development, Mazari and her husband filed an application before an Islamabad court seeking to summon the Director General of the army’s media wing, **Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), as a prosecution witness.

Mazari accused DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry of attempting to influence judicial proceedings by publicly labelling her a “lawyer for traitors” and a “foreign agent” during a press conference held in January 2026.

However, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka observed that the prosecution cannot be compelled to produce witnesses. The court formally took cognisance of the plea and directed the prosecution to submit its response before any decision is made. The judge also noted that he had not personally viewed the press conference in question.

What Are the Allegations?

The couple is being tried under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). According to the prosecution, their social media posts allegedly attempted to incite ethnic and linguistic divisions and linked the armed forces to terrorism.

The FIR, registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, accuses them of blaming security forces for enforced disappearances in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. It also alleges that Mazari’s posts aligned with the ideology of banned outfits such as the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, while Chattha is accused of reposting the same content.

Both Mazari and Chattha have categorically denied all charges.

Why Iman Mazari Matters

Iman Mazari is no stranger to controversy in Pakistan. She is the daughter of Shireen Mazari, who served as Human Rights Minister during the government of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

A law graduate of the University of Edinburgh Law School, Mazari has built her legal career around human rights advocacy, often representing religious and ethnic minorities and victims of alleged state violence.

In August 2023, she delivered a fiery speech at a rally organised by the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement, accusing sections of the military establishment of violence against civilians and calling them “actual terrorists.” She was arrested shortly afterwards on charges including treason and terrorism.

Case Adjourned

During the latest hearing, prosecution witness Shahroz Riaz was cross-examined, and the court adjourned the matter to January 8 for further proceedings.

As the legal battle continues, Iman Mazari’s defiance has turned her into one of the most outspoken civilian critics of Pakistan’s military establishment—drawing comparisons with major political figures, and for many, overshadowing even Imran Khan in the current public discourse.