Whether any action was taken on my complaint, the competent authority did not give any information. Iman Mazari, Advocate’s letter to the head of the harassment committee, Justice Inam Minhas
Justice Saman Rifat Imtiaz took notice of Iman Mazari’s complaint, but the Islamabad High Court administration withdrew the authority to hear harassment complaints from her
Court reporter, Daily Dawn, Dawn TV report
Islamabad: Human rights activist and lawyer Iman Zainab Mazari Hazar submitted a complaint letter regarding ‘non-action’ on the complaint of office harassment she filed against Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar.
It should be noted that Justice Sarfaraz Dogar had warned Iman Mazari of a contempt of court case and it is also known that he had also given warning remarks like ‘control it’. Several lawyers’ organizations condemned the remarks and demanded the removal of the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court.
On September 15, Iman Mazari approached an inquiry committee of the Islamabad High Court and the Supreme Judicial Council and filed a complaint under Section 4 (Procedure of Inquiry) of the Protection of Women from Harassment at Workplace Act, 2010.
When Justice Saman Riffat Imtiaz took notice of Iman Mazari’s complaint, the Islamabad High Court administration withdrew his (Justice Saman Riffat Imtiaz) powers to hear harassment complaints. Instead, Justice Inam Amin Minhas was appointed as the ‘competent authority’ to monitor the case. On this change, Iman Mazari approached the Supreme Judicial Council and took the stand that Justice Sarfaraz Dogar had removed a woman judge from hearing a harassment complaint against her.
In a letter addressed to Justice Minhas today, a copy of which is available to Nawa-e-Waqt and Dawn London, Mazari said that under the law, “the competent authority is required to inform the accused of the allegations within three days of receiving the complaint and the accused is required to submit his written response within seven days of coming to know of the allegations.”
She wrote: “I am not aware whether any action has been taken on my complaint as I have not been informed in this regard by the competent authority.”
Iman Mazari stressed the need to create a “clear urgency” in the matter and said, “I request that my complaints be redressed as soon as possible.”
She also raised the issue of the removal of Justice Saman Riffat Imtiaz and appointment of Justice Minhas in his place, saying that this move is “illegal” because “the accused cannot use his influence to change the competent authority or obstruct my complaint.”
She was responding to a complaint by Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar He also mentioned ‘continuous acts of retaliation’. He said, ‘As you are well aware, such acts of retaliation are strictly prohibited under the 2010 Act, and it is incumbent upon you as the competent authority to ensure that I am not subjected to such acts.’
According to the letter, on September 16, the case of Iman Mazari’s client Mahrang Baloch was scheduled before him (Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar), and Iman Mazari’s lawyer had requested to transfer the case to another bench due to a pending complaint.
Iman Mazari wrote that ‘the accused refused to transfer the case and forced me to appear before him, although under the law no woman can be forced to appear before her alleged harasser.’
He pointed out, “The above facts and circumstances clearly reflect that the accused has blatantly misused his powers to avoid the inquiry into my complaint.”
Iman Mazari added that her request to preserve the CCTV footage of the day of the incident is “yet to be answered,” and she demanded “urgent intervention to preserve this important evidence.”
Iman Mazari had also requested the Registrar of the Islamabad High Court to preserve the CCTV footage of this “unpleasant incident.”
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