Lawyer Imaan Mazari filed a letter of complaint on what she called “inaction” on her complaint for harassment in the workplace against the chief judge of the High Court of Islamabad, Sardar Sarfraz Dogar.
In his letter to judge Inaam Ameen Milhas, “the competent authority” under the protection against the harassment of women to the 2010 law on the workplace, Mazari declared that she had not received any update on his case despite the requirement of the law according to which the accusations were communicated to the accused “within three days” and a defense filed in the seven.
Mazari submitted a letter of complaint today (Friday) to a competent authority against the chief judge accused of the High Court of Islamabad Sarfaraz Dogar [Source:X]
She described the replacement of judge Saman Rafat Imtiaz, who first learned of her complaint, as “illegal”, arguing that “the accused cannot modify the competent authority or hinder my complaint by abusing his position of authority”.
Mazari also allegedly alleged that the CJ IHC DOGAR engaged in “continuous reproductions” after its complaint.
She quoted the hearing of the Dr. Mahrang Baloch case of her client, where her proxy lawyer asked for a transfer but Dogar refused.
“No woman subject to such treatment should be required to appear before her alleged harasser,” she wrote.
Read: IMAAN MAZARI, CJ DOGAR EXCHAGE HEATED WORDS IN IHC
She also noted that her request for preserving video surveillance images of the incident remained “unanswered”.
History of conflicts
The confrontation between Mazari and CJ Dogar began on September 11 during an audience on the petition of Mahrang Baloch to remove its name from the exit control list (ECL).
Baloch, head of the Baloch Yakjehti committee (BYC), has been held under the interview of public order (MPO) since March after demonstrations in Quetta and has been prevented from traveling to attend the Gala Time 100 in the United States.
During the hearing, IHC CJ DOGAR was unleashed in Mazari, saying: “You should keep your mouth closed and stay within the limits of respect.”
He accused him of calling him earlier a “dictator” and warned accusations of contempt.
Turning to her husband, the defender of Hadi Ali Chatta, he said: “Hadi Sahib, explain it … if I catch it one day …”
Mazari, however, insisted that it acts only in its professional quality and stressed that the case of his client should not suffer because of the judge’s grievances.
In the days that followed, Mazari began to officially document his complaints. Sept. 13
On September 14, she reiterated her request in writing. On the same day, nationwide bar associations condemned the remarks of Dogar, the association of the bar of the High Court of Lahore demanding its dismissal.
Find out more: Imaan Mazari files complaints of harassment against the chief judge of the IHC
Faced with an assembly of assembly, Dogar later said that his words had been misinterpreted, saying that he considered Mazari “as a girl” and had “offered advice as a elder”.
It is important that CJ IHC understands that I am not an IMAAN MAZARI activist in his courtyard, I am a lawyer who holds a brief for my client and driving myself according to the professional label (and a court should do the same).
The case of Dr. Mahrang Baloch should not suffer because of …
– Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@imaanzhazir) September 11, 2025
But Mazari rejected this explanation and, on September 15, filed an official complaint on harassment before the investigation committee on the harassment of women, chaired by judge Imtiaz.
She argued that Dogar’s remarks were sexospecific, threatened and remained within the framework of harassment in the workplace, urging the case to be returned to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).
The case quickly intensified. On September 17, lawyer Adnan Iqbal filed a reference to the Islamabad Bar Council requesting the permanent cancellation of the Mazari license.
Read also: Reference filed to cancel the license of Imaan Mazari
He allegedly alleged that it was involved in activities “judged against the state”, adding another layer of pressure on the besieged lawyer.
While the procedure strives, the impasse between Imaan Mazari and Chief Dogar judge has come to embody a determining test for the functioning of the Pakistan’s judicial system.
