Islamabad ATC rejects Matiullah Jan’s jurisdictional challenge

ISLAMABAD:

A special anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Wednesday rejected another petition filed by journalist Matiullah Jan and decided to frame terrorism charges against him.

Justice Tahir Abbas Supra led the hearing of the terrorism and narcotics cases registered against Jan. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge said: “The court has considered the arguments of the prosecution and the defense. Charges will be formally filed against the accused tomorrow.”

Jan’s petition challenging the framing of charges in the same narcotics case, despite no video evidence of recovery of the drugs, was to be heard in the Islamabad High Court. In the previous two hearings, the High Court had granted the prosecution additional time to submit forensic reports, but the police failed to do so.

Read: Matiullah Jan’s pre-trial detention suspended in drug case

After Wednesday’s hearing, Jan also posted on social media platform X that the government was pursuing a false case, which he called an open attack on journalists and press freedom. He said, “I was abducted from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad on November 27, along with journalist Saqib Basheer, while he was reporting on the deaths and injuries following firing during a PTI protest. A false FIR was later filed against me.”

Judge Tahir Abbas Supra reserved the verdict after hearing all arguments, dismissed the motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction and confirmed that the case was now ready to formally frame charges against Jan. “The charges will be filed against Matiullah Jan the next day,” the court announced. The court also adjourned further proceedings until February 19.

Background

The federal police in the capital filed a case against Jan, alleging his involvement in terrorist activities and possession of narcotics following an incident at a checkpoint in Islamabad.

According to the FIR lodged by Superintendent of Police Asif Ali at Margalla police station, Jan was arrested at check post E-9 while driving a white Toyota Yaris towards the F-10. The FIR claims that the vehicle rammed into the police personnel, injuring constable Mudassir. When the vehicle stopped due to a barrier, Jan allegedly got out of the car, assaulted the constable and briefly grabbed his SMG rifle, which was later recovered by police.

The FIR further alleges that Jan appeared under the influence of a narcotic and a subsequent search of his car revealed 246 grams of methamphetamine under the driver’s seat. A one gram sample was taken for chemical testing and the car was impounded.

The case invokes section 9(2)4 of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997, covering possession of psychotropic substances between 100 grams and 500 grams. It also cites section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 as well as sections 186, 279, 353, 382, ​​411, 427 and 506(ii) of the Pakistan Penal Code relating to assault, obstructing the action of public servants, theft, mischief and threats of harm.

The FIR was registered at 3:20 am on Thursday, almost an hour after the alleged incident. Jan’s family has previously claimed that he was abducted the previous night from the parking lot of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, raising concerns over the circumstances leading to the filing of the FIR.