Matiullah Jan’s physical remand challenged in Islamabad High Court

Matiullah's lawyer, Imaan Mazari, filed the petition in the IHC.

The physical remand of senior journalist Matiullah Jan has been challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), according to Express News.

Matiullah's lawyer, Imaan Mazari, filed the petition, contesting the decision made by Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra.

On the previous day, Matiullah Jan was granted a two-day physical remand in connection with a case registered at Margalla police station. The court's decision came after the police had requested a 30-day remand, but Judge Sipra approved the shorter, two-day duration.

Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan was arrested in the wee hours of Thursday by Islamabad police after an alleged altercation at a security checkpoint in the capital.

The incident occurred when Matiullah Jan, while driving, was reportedly ordered to stop at an E-9 checkpoint by police officers.

According to an FIR (First Information Report) filed by the police, when Jan's vehicle failed to stop, it collided with a constable on duty, injuring him.

Following the collision, Matiullah allegedly seized the officer's government-issued weapon and threatened to kill him. Authorities have stated that the journalist was reportedly "under the influence" at the time of the incident.

Matiullah Jan was taken into custody and transported to Margalla Police Station, where a case has been registered against him. The police are pursuing legal proceedings.

Rana Sanaullah slams Matiullah Jan's arrest 

Meanwhile, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah dismissed the charges against senior journalist Matiullah Jan as a “concocted and fabricated story” during an interview with a local news channel on Thursday.

Sanaullah, when questioned about the First Information Report (FIR) filed against Jan and his own past narcotics case, drew parallels, stating, “Such stories are often fabricated when needed. They've been made against us, and they were made against me as well.”

He further criticised the Islamabad police, stating that the police chief should be held accountable since the force was the complainant in the FIR. “This FIR must be decided on merit,” Sanaullah argued. 

“The only thing that should be done on merit is that those who fabricated this false story should be punished, and the person who was wrongfully targeted should be released,” he added.

Sanaullah also defended Jan's journalistic work, highlighting the role of independent journalists in uncovering the truth. He noted that individuals like Jan were actually contributing positively to the country by investigating and reporting on unverified claims, including rumours of death figures during the PTI protests. 

“Such lies cannot stand when independent journalists do their due diligence and report the facts,” he asserted.