ISLAMABAD - Unidentified persons attacked senior journalist and Waqt News anchor Matiullah Jan near Bhara Kahu when he was on his way to his residence on Sunday.

The unidentified persons riding a motorbike suddenly appeared from a street near Shahpur Bridge in the area of Bhara Kahu and threw a stone towards Matiullah’s car that hit the windscreen.

The attackers fled the scene leaving no clue behind.

Matiullah reported the matter to Bhara Kahu police and the matter is under investigation.

The senior journalist informed The Nation that the rider was wearing a helmet and the person sitting behind him threw a brick-like piece of concrete at his car.

The incident took place near Phulgran.

Matiullah turned the car around and tried to chase the two motorcyclists but they fled.

He suspected that it was a pre-planned attack.

Matiullah did not rule out the possibility that he was attacked by “vested interests” unhappy with his journalism and social media activism.

He said, “an attack on a journalist does not affect him or herself only, rather the whole society is affected.”

“[Any attempt] To gag a journalist is [an attempt] to gag a society,” Matiullah remarked.

He said that this was the second time he had been attacked by unidentified persons.

A few years ago, Matiullah said, he was chased by another car at night and his windscreen was smashed in a similar way.

In those days he was working on a story along with another journalist who had also been attacked in the same fashion around the same time.

Meanwhile, the journalists’ community of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad had condemned the attack on Matiullah Jan in the harshest words and termed it an attack on the whole journalist community.

The National Press Club, the Federal Union of Journalists and other journalists’ bodies had condemned the attack and demanded of the federal interior minister to hunt down those involved and award them exemplary punishment.

Meanwhile, Margalla police have arrested a thief and recovered gold ornaments, mobile phones, laptops, cash, stolen valuables and weapon from him, a police spokesman said on Sunday.

Following directions of Senior Superintendent of Police Islamabad Sajid Kiani, the SP constituted a police team to trace those involved in theft cases.

This team succeeded to apprehend Abbas Khan, a resident of Haripur who was involved in various theft cases.

Police team recovered gold ornaments, mobile phones, laptops, cash, stolen valuables and weapon from him.

Further investigation is underway.

SSP Islamabad Sajid Kiani have appreciated the efforts of Margalla police and announced commendation certificates along with cash reward for the police team as encouragement.

Furthermore, Islamabad police on Sunday conducted search operation in various areas of Aabpara Police Station and arrested five suspects and impounded two bikes from them.

The officials of Islamabad Police, Pakistan Rangers and intelligence agencies conducted search operation in areas of Aabpara Police Station.

This search operation was also participated by police commandos, lady commandos and staff of bomb disposal SQUAD.

During search operation, the police arrested five suspects and impounded two bikes.