An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the federal capital granted bail to senior journalist Matiullah Jan on Saturday in a terrorism and narcotics case. ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra set the bail bond at Rs10,000.
This development followed two days after Jan’s arrest by Islamabad Police at the E-9 checkpoint. He was charged with assaulting police officers, forcibly seizing their weapons, issuing threats, and possessing the drug “ice” found in his vehicle.
The FIR against him cites multiple charges, including rash driving, assault on a public servant, theft with the intent to cause harm, mischief causing damage, criminal intimidation, a terrorism-related offense, and a narcotics-related offense.
Initially, an ATC granted the police a two-day physical remand of Jan. However, on Friday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended this remand.
The arrest sparked widespread condemnation from media and human rights organizations and criticism from within the government.
Additionally, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) veteran and former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani called for Jan’s release, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui expressed his disapproval of Jan’s treatment, stating, “What happened to Jan is very sad, regardless of whose behest it was done.”
Read: Matiullah Jan’s Family Claims Illegal Abduction; Islamabad Police Cite Arrest
