Islamabad, November 28, 2024- Senior journalist Matiullah Jan was reported missing on Thursday, hours after the Islamabad Police confirmed his arrest. According to police, Jan was initially taken to Margalla Police Station following his detention. A First Information Report (FIR) filed against him cited charges under multiple sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), and the Control of Narcotic Substances Act.
Human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Haazir, who is representing Jan, claimed that he was no longer in custody when she visited the police station. “After pleading with police at Margalla Police Station to allow us access to our client Matiullah Jan, we were finally let in. I personally checked the lock-up, and the detainees confirmed that police removed Jan just before our arrival. He is missing,” Mazari stated on X.
Earlier, Jan’s family alleged on social media that he was “abducted” from the parking lot of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) around 11 PM by unidentified individuals in an unmarked vehicle. A family member expressed concern, demanding his immediate release and urging authorities to disclose his whereabouts.
Multiple offenses charged in FIR
The FIR registered at Margalla Police Station accuses Jan of several offenses, including rash driving, assaulting a public servant, theft with preparation to cause harm, mischief causing damage, criminal intimidation, terrorism-related charges, and possession of narcotics. The document alleges that Jan, while driving through the E-9 checkpoint, refused to stop when signaled by police, injuring a constable in the process. It further claims he forcibly seized a police weapon, issued threats, and was under the influence of drugs, with a quantity of the substance “ice” reportedly recovered from his vehicle.
PFUJ and CPJ condemn the incident.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has also condemned the abduction and subsequent arrest of the Matiullah Jan. In a press release issued on Thursday, PFUJ urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to intervene and secure Jan’s immediate release. PFUJ leadership warned the authorities of countrywide protests if Matiullah Jan is not released.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international NGO, condemned Jan’s arrest and raised concerns over press freedom in Pakistan. The country ranks 12th on CPJ’s 2024 Global Impunity Index for crimes against journalists. According to CPJ, 39 journalists have been murdered in Pakistan since 1992, with justice served in only three cases.
This is not the first time Matiullah Jan has faced such circumstances. In 2020, he went missing for nearly 12 hours before being released. His current situation has drawn significant attention from human rights organizations and press freedom advocates both locally and internationally.
