Journalist Matiullah Jan booked in terrorism case

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday approved a two-day physical remand of senior journalist Matiullah Jan in relation to a case registered against him at Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station, Geo News reported.

Jan, whose arrest was confirmed by the Islamabad Police earlier in the day, was presented before ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, wherein Prosecutor Raja Naveed requested a 30-day physical remand. However, the court rejected the request and granted police a two-day physical remand of the journalist.

Matiullah, after being arrested, was then shifted to Margalla Police Station, cops said. However, human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Haazir said he was at the lock-up when she went to visit him. Earlier, in a post on X, his family said he had been “abducted” from the parking of PIMS at around 11pm by “unmarked abductors in an unmarked vehicle”.

“I demand that my father be let go immediately and his family immediately be informed of his whereabouts,” the post added.

Meanwhile, following his detention, Jan was transferred to the Margalla Police Station and was later presented before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad.

Judge Sipra allowed Jan to meet with his family and later announced the verdict granting his two-day physical remand.

Hours after his disappearance, a first information report (FIR) was registered against Jan at the Margalla Police Station in Islamabad. The FIR said he was arrested at the E-9 checkpoint in the federal capital.

The FIR was registered under CrPC’s Section 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to the committing of the theft), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 506 (criminal intimidation), while 7ATA (terrorism-related section) and a narcotics-related section was also included.

The FIR also accuses the journalist of being under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest, with the substance “ice” reportedly recovered from his vehicle.

The development has warranted condemnations from journalistic quarters, with media organisations urging the incumbent government not to “pressurise journalists and detain them unlawfully”.

The Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) condemned Matiullah Jan’s arrest, calling the charges against him “absurd” and stating that these accusations represent a “new tactic against journalists.”

In its statement, Aemend said the senior journalist was detained along with fellow journalist Saqib Bashir from PIMS Hospital. “While Saqib Bashir was released shortly afterwards, Jan was transferred to Margalla Police Station, where he was formally arrested under a case.”

The FIR accuses him of bizarre allegations such as seizing official weapons, threatening to kill, and injuring a constable with a vehicle.