Abducted journo Matiullah Jan booked in terrorism case after PTI protests

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani senior journalist Matiullah Jan was kidnapped and later found at Islamabad Margalla station as cops in the capital booked him in a terrorism case.

The seasoned journalist is facing a case for threatening security officials and other charges including being intoxicated.

The prominent journalist Hamid Mir claimed that both Matiullah Jan and journalist Saqib Bashir were abducted by unidentified individuals on the night of November 26. While Bashir was later released, Jan’s whereabouts remained unclear until he was found at the Margalla Police Station.

The case filed against Matiullah said he committed a series of offenses, including attempting to run over security personnel with his vehicle and threatening them with a guard’s weapon. The police report also alleges that Jan was intoxicated at the time and that a search of his vehicle uncovered ice from his possession.

Matiullah Jan Abduction

He has been charged under Anti-Terrorism Act and is scheduled to appear in an anti-terrorism court. His lawyer, Imaan Mazari, noted that Jan was moved from the police station before she could meet him.

The controversy surrounding Jan escalated earlier this week when he shared a video of a Rangers official being run over by a vehicle in the capital during a protest of Imran Khan’s party. In one of his vlogs, he claimed officer was struck by his own vehicle, but Rangers officials later stated that the officer was hit by a vehicle driven by protesters.

The journalist also accused PIMS hospital staff of being pressured not to report injuries from the PTI protest operation.

The unfolding events have raised concerns about press freedom and government’s handling of journalists in the country. The Islamabad High Court is expected to review the case as Matiullah Jan’s legal battle begins