ISLAMABAD  -  Anti Terrorism Court -II Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra has ordered to send Journalist Matiullah Jan on 2 days physical remand to police and directed investigation officer to conduct investigation purely on merit within the four corners of law on Thursday at Federal Judicial Complex Islamabad and told IO to produce Matiullah Jan in his court again on November 30th.

An FIR no 715/24 has been registered against Matiullah Jan on Thursday morning at 3:20 am where he’s been accused of running his car over plastic barriers placed at police check post and injuring a police officer. According to FIR Matiullah Jan got out of car, snatched SMG gun of policeman and pointed towards policeman at checkpost, police took back the SMG with strategy and later confiscated 246 grams Ice from his car. According to FIR incident happened at 2:15 am.

Journalist Matiullah Jan was produced in court around 2:00 pm. Family of Matiullah Jan, journalists, lawyers, and human rights activists were present in the court. Mansoor Ahmed, Incharge investigation, Margalla Police station submitted the application for 30 days physical remand of Matiullah Jan for investigation about sale and purchase of drugs confiscated from him.

Journalist Saqib Bashir submitted an affidavit in court in which he stated that he himself along with Matiullah Jan came out PIMS hospital Islamabad around 11:15 pm on Wednesday when 8 to 10 persons abducted them and put black clothes on their faces. Affidavit of Saqib Bashir further stated that they kept us in custody at an unknown location, after 2 hours they took Saqib Bashir in another room and abductors told him we don’t have a problem with you we only have problem with Matiullah Jan.

 Saqib Bashir also stated in affidavit that he was later dropped in Sector I-9 of Islamabad with muffled face. He also stated that FIR registered against Matiullah Jan is totally fake and baseless.

Adv. Hadi Ali Chatha, Adv. Iman Mazari, and Adv. Faisal Chaudhry represented Matiullah Jan. Adv. Chatha argued before the court that Matiullah Jan is a renowned journalist who was working on investigative story regarding the recent incidents happened in Islamabad. Iman Mazari argued before the court that there’s no purpose of remand since ice has been allegedly recovered from the accused. Adv. Faisal Chaudhry argued before the court that Matiullah Jan has a spotless career as a journalist and we’ve never seen him even smoking cigarette. The counsels of accused asked for quashment of the FIR.

Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain argued before the court that investigation is right of the police which is protected under the law. He further argued that further investigation is yet to be conducted in respect of the supply chain.

Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra remarked during the proceedings that the grounds of accused is respectable well known Journalist and another journalist submits an affidavit in court that incident didn’t happen as described in FIR doesn’t qualify for quashment. He further remarked that can a bold and fearless journalist never commit a crime?

After hearing the arguments Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra reserved the order and later announced 2 days physical ramand of Journalist Matiullah Jan.