An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad issued a notice to police on Friday on application regarding the provision of documents in a narcotics case registered against senior journalist Matiullah Jan.
The case, registered at Margalla Police Station on November 28 last year, accuses the journalist of snatching a government-issued rifle, hitting a vehicle at a police barrier and possessing narcotics.
Initiation of legal proceedings against Jan has drawn strong criticism from journalist bodies and rights groups, who maintain that he is being targeted for investigating reports of alleged deaths during law enforcement action against PTI protesters in November last year.
At the outset of the hearing today, lawyer Mian Ali Ashfaq submitted a power of attorney to Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra on behalf of Jan.
He also contended that the journalist had been “portrayed as a terrorist” in the case.
Judge Sipra remarked that the other side needed to be heard as well and issued a notice to police for November 8 on an application by Jan for the provision of relevant documents and adjourned the hearing until the said date.
Lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, who has also represented Jan in the case, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists President Afzal Butt and other journalists were also present in the court during the hearing.
An earlier Dawn report said Jan’s trial in the case was likely to begin today with the court having decided to indict him on October 31. However, today’s hearing was adjourned without the framing of charges against the senior journalist.
More to follow
