Court suspends police remand of Pakistani journalist covering recent protests

A high court in Pakistan suspended on Friday the two-day physical remand of prominent journalist Matiullah Jan, who was reported missing a day earlier before being presented in an anti-terrorism court.

The legal counsel for the journalist - human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha - filed the petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the remand granted by the lower court.

The petition asserted that Jan's arrest was declared in a fabricated and baseless case. It was requested to hear the case today considering delaying it to tomorrow or Monday would render the plea ineffective.

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The IHC complied with the request and heard the case shortly after.

As per the court's instructions, the anti-terrorism court's order was read out during the hearing. The president of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association Advocate Riyasat Ali Azad appeared before the court.

Referring to the charge of the journalist being found in "possession of crystal meth", Azad stated, "There is no mention of buying or selling of anything in the FIR." He added that a statement under oath by another journalist was also available.

“This case is bogus and based on fabricated story,” he said.

The court later suspended the journalist's physical remand.

His remand will now be considered judicial. The case will be heard again on Monday.

Multiple counts of drug possession, assault of police officer

On Wednesday, the Islamabad police filed a first investigation report (FIR) against Jan at Islamabad's Margalla Police Station under the counts of drug possession and the assault of a police officer.

The FIR states that 246 grams of crystal meth (ice) were recovered from the journalist.

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Matiullah Jan's lawyers argue that he is being targeted for investigating alleged deaths during anti-government protests led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. These protests reportedly escalated earlier this week, with claims of law enforcement involvement in the fatalities.

On Thursday, an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad approved Jan's two-day physical remand, handing him over to police.

Missing for hours

Unidentified individuals in plain clothes picked up Jan from the parking lot of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a public hospital in Islamabad. Jan’s colleague, Saqib Bashir, who was with him, was also briefly detained but released a few hours later.

Jan's son, Abdul Razzaq, filed a complaint at the G-9 police station and released a video message questioning the rule of law and the lack of transparency surrounding the abduction. He stated that his father’s dedication to reporting facts might have led to the incident.

Bashir, in his account, described how the abductors blindfolded them and took them to a location where Jan was singled out as the focus of their interest. The abductors treated Bashir politely, he said, offering tea and releasing him after two hours.

"We don't have an issue with you. The issue is with him [Matiullah Jan]," Bashir quoted the men as telling him.

Precarious press freedom

The incident has raised concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists in Pakistan, with calls for accountability and Jan’s immediate release.

Pakistan's press freedom remains precarious, ranking 150th out of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index, with escalating violence and threats against journalists undermining efforts to safeguard their rights.

Between Aug. 2021 and Aug. 2023, 11 journalists lost their lives, and numerous others faced threats or attacks, according to Freedom Networks, an Islamabad-based watchdog.