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Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan was arrested on Thursday following an alleged confrontation with police at a security checkpoint in Pakistan's Islamabad, as reported by The Express Tribune.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when Jan was stopped by police at an E-9 checkpoint. According to an FIR, Jan's vehicle did not stop and collided with a constable on duty, injuring him, The Express Tribune reported. The FIR also claims that Jan then took the officer's government-issued weapon and threatened to kill him. Authorities further alleged that the journalist was "under the influence" at the time of the incident. Subsequently, Jan was apprehended and taken to Margalla Police Station, where a case was registered against him. The police are proceeding with legal actions, and Jan is scheduled to be presented before an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad later today for further proceedings. Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir alleged that Jan is missing despite police custody claims. She posted on X, "After pleading with police at Margalla Police Station to allow us access to our client Matiullah Jan, we were finally allowed in. I checked hawalaat/lock up myself and the people locked up inside confirmed to me that right before we came, the police took Matiullah Jan. He is missing." Adding to the controversy, Jan's son, Abdul Razzaq, alleged that his father was abducted late Wednesday night, reported The Express Tribune. In a post on X, Razzaq wrote, "Matiullah Jan has been abducted from the parking of PIMS tonight at around 11 by unmarked abductors in an unmarked vehicle alongside Saqib Bashir (who was let go 5 minutes later). This follows his courageous coverage of the protests in Islamabad. I demand that my father be let go immediately and his family immediately be informed of his whereabouts." The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Asia expressed concern over the alleged abduction. "CPJ expresses grave alarm over reports of the abduction of journalist Matiullah Jan in the capital Islamabad following his coverage of protests by supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Authorities must ensure Jan's safety and immediate release," it stated. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the arrest and demanded Jan's immediate release, The Express Tribune reported. "HRCP demands the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Matiullahjan919 who has reportedly been arrested following his coverage of the recent protests in Islamabad. This authoritarian tactic to silence journalists must cease," it stated. (ANI)
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