Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan was arrested by Islamabad police on Thursday following an alleged confrontation at a security checkpoint in the capital.
The incident took place early on Thursday when Jan, while driving, was reportedly instructed to stop at a checkpoint in the E-9 area. According to Express News, Jan’s vehicle did not stop, and as a result, it collided with a constable, injuring him.
In the FIR (First Information Report) filed by the police, it is stated that after the collision, Jan allegedly took the officer’s government-issued weapon and threatened to kill him. Authorities also mentioned that Jan was reportedly “under the influence” at the time of the incident.
Jan was arrested and taken to Margalla Police Station, where a case has been filed against him, and legal proceedings are underway. He is expected to be presented in an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad later today for further action.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir claimed that Jan was “missing.” She posted on X (formerly Twitter) saying that after pleading with the police at Margalla Police Station for access to her client, they were eventually allowed in. The people inside the station confirmed that Jan had been taken by the police just before their arrival, leading Mazari-Hazir to claim he was missing.
In another post, Jan’s son, Abdul Razzaq, alleged that his father was abducted from the parking lot of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad around 11pm by unmarked individuals in an unmarked vehicle. Razzaq also stated that Saqib Bashir, a journalist who was with Jan at the time, was briefly abducted before being released.
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