ATC set to frame terrorism charges against journalist Matiullah Jan

ISLAMABAD: A special anti-terrorism court in the federal capital on Wednesday dismissed an application filed by senior journalist Matiullah Jan and decided to formally frame terrorism charges against him.

Judge Tahir Abbas Supra conducted proceedings in terrorism and narcotics cases registered against Jan. After hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence, the judge observed that the court had considered the submissions and announced that charges would be framed against the accused on the following day. The court adjourned further proceedings until February 19.

Jan had challenged the framing of charges in the narcotics case, arguing that no video evidence existed of the alleged drug recovery. A related petition is pending before the Islamabad High Court, which in previous hearings granted the prosecution additional time to submit forensic reports. However, police have yet to produce the reports before the high court.

Following Wednesday’s hearing, Jan posted on social media platform X, alleging that the government was pursuing a fabricated case against him and calling it an attack on journalists and press freedom. He stated that he had been abducted from the premises of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences on November 27 along with journalist Saqib Basheer while reporting on casualties from firing at a PTI protest. He claimed that a false FIR was subsequently registered against him.

Judge Supra reserved his verdict after hearing detailed arguments and later dismissed Jan’s application challenging the court’s jurisdiction, confirming that the case would proceed to the formal framing of charges.

Background of the case

The Federal Capital Police registered a case against Jan alleging involvement in terrorism and possession of narcotics following an incident at a checkpost in Islamabad.

According to the FIR lodged by Superintendent of Police Asif Ali at Margalla Police Station, Jan was intercepted at the E-9 checkpost while driving a white Toyota Yaris towards F-10. The FIR alleges that the vehicle rammed into police personnel, injuring Constable Mudassir. It further claims that when the car was stopped by a barrier, Jan exited the vehicle, assaulted the constable and briefly snatched his sub-machine gun, which was later recovered by police.

Police also alleged that Jan appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and that a subsequent search of his vehicle led to the recovery of 246 grams of methamphetamine from beneath the driver’s seat. A one-gram sample was reportedly collected for chemical analysis, and the vehicle was impounded.

The case includes Section 9(2)4 of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997, relating to possession of psychotropic substances between 100 and 500 grams, and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. It also invokes multiple provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code, including Sections 186, 279, 353, 382, 411, 427 and 506(ii), covering obstruction of public servants, rash driving, assault, theft, mischief and criminal intimidation.

The FIR was registered at 3:20am, nearly an hour after the alleged incident. Jan’s family has maintained that he was forcibly taken from the parking area of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences the night before, questioning the circumstances surrounding the case and the timing of the FIR.