The court has set a date for terrorism and narcotics charges as the journalist claims false FIR
Matiullah Jan wrote on his social media platform that the government is pursuing a fake case, describing it as an open attack on journalists and press freedom [Source: X]
ISLAMABAD:
A special anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Wednesday rejected another application filed by senior journalist Matiullah Jan and decided to press terrorism charges against him.
Judge Tahir Abbas Supra conducted the hearing of terror and drug cases registered against Jan. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge said: “The court has considered the submissions of the prosecution and the defence. The charges will be formally laid against the accused tomorrow.”
Jan’s application, challenging the charges in the same drug case, despite the absence of video evidence of drug recovery, was scheduled for a hearing in the Islamabad High Court. In the two previous hearings, the High Court had given the prosecution additional time to submit forensic reports, but the police failed to do so.
Read: Matiullah Jan’s physical custody suspended in drug case
After Wednesday’s hearing, Jan also wrote on the social media platform X that the government is conducting a false case, which he described as an open attack on journalists and press freedom. He said: “I was abducted from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad on November 27 along with journalist Saqib Basheer while reporting on deaths and injuries after firing on a PTI protest. A false FIR was subsequently lodged against me.”
The judge Tahir Abbas of the Special Court of Anti-Corruption has dismissed the appeal against the charges of corruption in the case of crime and drugs. The government has been running this fake case openly to journalists…
— Matiullah Jan (@Matiullahjan919) 18 February 2026
Judge Tahir Abbas Supra reserved judgment after hearing all arguments, dismissed the application challenging the court’s jurisdiction and confirmed that the case is now set for the formal framing of charges against Jan. “Charges will be filed against Matiullah Jan the following day,” the court announced. The court also adjourned further proceedings till February 19.
Background
The Federal Capital Police filed a case against Jan alleging his involvement in terrorism and possession of narcotics following an incident at a check post in Islamabad.
According to the FIR filed by police inspector Asif Ali at Margalla police station, Jan was stopped at E-9 check post while driving a white Toyota Yaris towards F-10. The FIR alleges that the vehicle hit policemen and injured constable Mudassir. When the vehicle stopped due to a barrier, Jan allegedly exited the car, assaulted the constable and briefly seized his SMG rifle, which was later recovered by police.
The FIR further alleges that Jan acted under the influence of a narcotic, and a subsequent search of his car found 246 grams of methamphetamine under the driver’s seat. A 1 gram sample was collected for chemical testing and the car was impounded.
The case relies on Section 9(2)4 of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997, which covers possession of psychotropic substances between 100 grams and 500 grams. It also cites Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 along with Sections 186, 279, 353, 382, 411, 427 and 506(ii) of the Pakistan Penal Code relating to assault, obstruction of public servants, theft, mischief and threats of assault.
The FIR was registered at 03.20 on Thursday almost an hour after the alleged incident. Jan’s family had earlier claimed that he was abducted from the parking lot of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences the previous evening, raising concerns over the circumstances that led to the filing of the FIR.
