Islamabad (Web Desk): Senior journalist Matiullah Jan was released from Adial Jail after on Saturday after an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in the federal capital granted him bail in cases connection with charges related to terrorism and narcotics.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, who presided over the hearing, approved the bail against a bond worth Rs10,000.
Jan was initially sent on a two-day physical remand, but the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday, suspended the physical remand.
During the hearing, a copy of the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) order was submitted to the court.
In addition, the court completed the necessary procedures for sending Matiullah Jan to judicial remand.
Jan's lawyer requested bail, prompting Judge Sipra to call on the prosecution to be ready for future proceedings.
Reflecting on the case, the judge expressed dismay over the treatment of journalists, stating, “It is shameful when a journalist is accused of drug use. Should we also start claiming that journalists are selling their opinions?”
Jan's arrest took place two days earlier at the E-9 checkpoint in Islamabad, where police accused him of assaulting officers, forcibly taking their weapons, issuing threats, and being under the influence of narcotics.
Police reportedly had claimed recovery of a substance known as "ice" from his vehicle.
The charges filed against him include a range of offenses, such as Section 279 (reckless driving), Section 353 (assault on public servants), Section 382 (theft with intent to harm), Section 427 (property damage), Section 506 (criminal intimidation), Section 7ATA (terrorism-related), as well as narcotics-related offenses.
This case has sparked a wider discussion regarding the tensions between the media and government institutions, raising concerns about the freedom of the press and the challenges faced by journalists in the country.