Matiullah Jan Sent to Police Custody on 2-Day Remand in Controversial Terrorism and Narcotics Case
The circumstances surrounding Jan's arrest have sparked outrage among journalists and rights advocates.
Senior journalist Matiullah Jan was remanded for two days in police custody on Thursday, facing charges of terrorism and narcotics that many have labelled as “bogus” amid widespread calls for his release.
He was presented before a court appearance at the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court, where Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra granted only a two-day physical remand instead of the 30 days requested by the police.
Jan vehemently denied the charges, describing them as fabricated and asserting that his arrest was linked to his journalistic work, particularly his coverage of the protests and alleged government misconduct.
His arrest has drawn significant attention from human rights organizations and media advocacy groups, who express concern over the implications for press freedom in Pakistan.
Jan was reportedly detained late Wednesday night in Islamabad while investigating claims of casualties during protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
His son claimed that “unknown individuals” abducted him, but it later emerged that he was in police custody, booked under a first information report (FIR) filed by the Margalla police at approximately 3:20 AM on Thursday.
The FIR alleges that Jan possessed 246 grams of methamphetamine (crystal meth) and assaulted a police officer during the incident.
The circumstances surrounding Jan’s arrest have sparked outrage among journalists and rights advocates.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Committee to Protect Journalists have condemned the actions taken against him, calling for his immediate release and highlighting the broader issue of state repression against journalists in Pakistan
