JournalismPakistan.com | Published November 28, 2024 at 02:52 pm
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ISLAMABAD—Senior journalist Matiullah Jan was reportedly abducted by unknown individuals from the parking lot of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) late Wednesday night, sparking outrage and concerns about press freedom in Pakistan.
According to journalist Asad Toor, Matiullah was investigating the deaths of PTI workers during a government crackdown on Monday night when he was taken. Journalist Saqib Bashir, who was with Matiullah at the time, was also briefly detained but released shortly afterward.
Matiullah's son, Abdul Razzaq, made an emotional appeal, saying, "I demand my father be released immediately, and his family informed of his whereabouts."
Journalist Asad Toor revealed in his vlog that Matiullah had questioned the Prime Minister's Advisor on Health during a visit to PIMS and had been under attack by political activists for his investigative reporting on the PTI protest. "Mati exposed government tactics and propaganda, making him a target," said Toor.
Toor detailed the abduction, recounting how Saqib described being blindfolded and transported alongside Matiullah in a Vigo. "Matiullah held Saqib's hand, urging him to stay calm. Saqib was later dropped off in I-9 and told he was not under suspicion," Toor added.
In a shocking turn of events, Matiullah was reportedly brought to the Margalla Police Station Thursday morning, Toor said. He was booked under terrorism charges and for possession of crystal meth (Ice), a claim widely condemned as baseless. Toor called the charges "shameful," pointing out that Matiullah doesn't even smoke.
Human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha have filed a habeas corpus petition at the Islamabad High Court for Matiullah's release.
This is not the first time Matiullah Jan has been abducted. In 2020, he was taken by intelligence officials and later released after a directive from then-Prime Minister Imran Khan. To this day, no one has been held accountable for his abduction.
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