Journalists and rights activists demand withdrawal of fabricated case against Matiullah Jan

ISLAMABAD — Veteran journalists and human rights activists have strongly condemned what they called a fabricated and concocted drug trafficking case against senior investigative journalist Matiullah Jan, demanding its immediate withdrawal.

They said the case represents an alarming attempt to silence Jan, who was abducted by unidentified persons on November 28, 2024, from the car park of PIMS Hospital in Islamabad. His detention, they noted, was part of continued arm-twisting tactics to suppress his investigative work.

“We are concerned that despite the passage of nearly a year, the Islamabad police remain adamant in pursuing this baseless case instead of respecting journalists’ freedom of expression,” they said. “The charges against Matiullah Jan are fake and fabricated and must be quashed immediately.”

Among those expressing solidarity with Jan were veteran journalists and rights defenders Hussain Naqi, Zahid Hussain, Farhatullah Babar, Mustansar Javaid, Anwar Iqbal, Ali Ahmad Khan, Mazhar Abbas, Amir Wasim, Dr. Nazir Mahmood, Dr. Tauseef Ahmed Khan, Nasir Zaidi, Asmatullah Niazi, Shahzada Zulfiqar, Munizae Jahangir, Sohail Sangi, Nasir Malik, Adnan Rehmat, Iqbal Khattak, G.N. Mughal, Waris Raza, Habib Khan Ghori, Fouzia Shahid, Lala Asad, Lala Rehman, Saleem Shahid, Ayub Jan Sarhandi, Shafiq Awan, Abdul Sattar, Mohammed Riaz, Azad Syed, Ayub Malik, and Dr. Shafqat Munir.

“We urge the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court to intervene and direct the police authorities to quash the FIR based on fabricated and concocted charges,” they demanded.

The statement noted that Matiullah Jan had been investigating alleged police firing on PTI protesters near D-Chowk, Islamabad, on November 24, and that his abduction appeared to be a blatant attempt to intimidate and silence him. The FIR, filed at 2:30 a.m. — just hours after his abduction at 11:30 p.m. — raised serious questions about the credibility and intent behind the case.

They further observed that Jan’s abductors made no demands and did not seize any data or notes related to his investigations, suggesting that the case was deliberately manufactured to obstruct his journalism.

The group called on the government to ensure the safety and security of journalists and to allow them to work freely without fear or intimidation.
Source: JP