ATC grants bail to senior journalist Matiullah Jan

Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad granted bail to journalist Matiullah Jan,who was abducted outside PIMS Hospital before being arrested in a narcotics and terrorism case.

The court accepted his bail please and ordered him to submit a surety bond of Rs10,000.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday suspended the Anti-Terrorism Court’s (ATC) decision to grant a two-day physical remand of senior journalist.

Journalist Matiullah Jan, who was arrested by Islamabad Police just hours after his disappearance from outside PIMS Hospital, was presented in an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on November 28.

Authorities have charged him under multiple sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), and the Control of Narcotic Substances Act.

Speaking to reporters during his court appearance, Jan dismissed the allegations, stating, “I am not afraid. Everyone knows I don’t even smoke a cigarette.”

When asked why he was detained if the charges were baseless, he responded, “Because I was reporting about the dead bodies.”

Matiullah Jan’s son took to X to report about the “abduction” of his father from the parking of PIM hospital at 11 pm by unidentified individuals. 

International human rights and journalism organisations strongly condemned Matiullah Jan’s alleged abduction and the FIR, labeling the case as "ridiculous" and based on fabricated claims.