Islamabad ATC quashes Matiullah Jan’s jurisdiction challenge

ISLAMABAD:

A special anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Wednesday dismissed another application filed by journalist Matiullah Jan and decided to file terrorism charges against him.

Justice Tahir Abbas Supra conducted 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 submissions of the prosecution and the defence. Charges will be formally framed against the accused tomorrow.”

Jan’s petition challenging the filing of charges in the same narcotics case, despite the absence of video evidence of drug recovery, was scheduled for hearing 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 had failed to do so.

Read: Matiullah Jan’s physical preventive detention suspended in narcotics case

After Wednesday’s hearing, Jan also posted on social media platform X that the government is pursuing a false case, which he described as 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 reporting on deaths and injuries due to firing at a PTI protest. A fake FIR was later lodged against me.”

Judge Tahir Abbas Supra reserved the verdict after hearing all the arguments, dismissed the application challenging the jurisdiction of the court and confirmed that the case is now ready for the formal framing of charges against Jan. “The charges against Matiullah Jan will be framed the next day,” the court announced. The court also adjourned further proceedings until February 19.

Background

The Federal Capital Police registered a case against Jan, alleging his involvement in terrorism 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 detained at check post E-9 while driving a white Toyota Yaris towards F-10. The FIR states 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 officer 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 discovered 246 grams of methamphetamine under the driver’s seat. A 1 gram sample was collected for chemical testing and the car was impounded.

The case invokes Section 9(2)4 of the Narcotic Substances Control Act 1997, which covers possession of psychotropic substances between 100 grams and 500 grams. It also cites Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 along with Sections 186, 279, 353, 382, ​​411, 427 and 506(ii) of the Pakistan Penal Code relating to assault, obstruction 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 earlier claimed that he was abducted from the parking lot of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences the previous night, raising concerns about the circumstances that led to the filing of the FIR.