Shireen Mazari moves IHC seeking right to meet detained daughter, son-in-law
Pakistan
Mazari alleged that jail authorities have completely severed all contact between the detainees and their family as well as their legal counsel, without any written order.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Former federal minister Shireen Mazari on Tuesday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking urgent judicial intervention to allow her to meet her daughter Imaan Zainab Mazari and son-in-law Hadi Ali Chatha, who are held in Adiala Jail.
In her petition, Mazari stated that both Imaan and Hadi were recently sentenced to a combined 17 years in prison by a sessions court on multiple charges related to controversial social media posts.
The writ petition, filed under Article 199 of the Constitution, has been submitted through a legal team comprising senior advocates Kamran Murtaza, members of the Islamabad Bar Council, office-bearers of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, and the District Bar Association, among others.
Mazari alleged that jail authorities have completely severed all contact between the detainees and their family as well as their legal counsel, without any written order, recorded reasons, or lawful basis. She maintained that despite repeated requests, she has been denied visitation rights and has not been informed about the physical and mental health, medical treatment, or living conditions of her daughter and son-in-law.
According to the petition, Imaan and Hadi were convicted on January 24, 2026, in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, and have remained in continuous judicial custody since then.
The plea further argued that the detainees have also been denied confidential access to their lawyers, which has hindered their ability to file an appeal against their conviction — a remedy described as time-sensitive. The petition termed the situation as “incommunicado detention,” claiming it violates constitutional protections guaranteed under Articles 4, 9, 10-A, and 14, which ensure due process, dignity, fair trial, and humane treatment.
Mazari also cited the Punjab Prison Rules, 1978, along with international standards including the UN Nelson Mandela Rules, asserting that the state bears a heightened duty of care toward individuals in custody.
As interim relief, she requested the IHC to immediately direct jail authorities to allow family visits and legal consultations until the final adjudication of the petition.
The respondents named in the case include the Federation of Pakistan through the Interior Secretary, the Inspector General of Police Islamabad, and the Superintendent of Adiala Jail.
The IHC has not yet fixed a date for hearing on the petition.
