Pakistan court grants bail to journalist, critical of government, in terrorism and narcotics case

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan on Saturday granted bail to journalist Matiullah Jan, critical of the Pakistani government and military, in a terrorism and narcotics case.
Jan, a presenter for TV channel Neo News with a popular YouTube channel, was “picked up” from outside a hospital in Islamabad on Wednesday where he was investigating alleged fatalities during this week’s protests in Islamabad in support of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan, his son said.
The FIR registered against Jan included Code of Criminal Procedure’s sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to the committing of the theft), 427 (mischief causing damage), 506 (criminal intimidation) along with 7ATA (terrorism-related section) and a narcotics-related section.
On Saturday, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, who presided over the hearing of Jan’s bail petition, approved the plea against surety bonds worth Rs10,000 ($36), according to Jan’s lawyer.
“He [judge] listened to the prosecutor and to us during arguments on bail and then he granted bail while ordering to deposit surety bonds of Rs10,000,” Jan’s counsel Hadi Ali told reporters outside the court.
Jan has a history of criticizing Pakistan’s government and the powerful military establishment. He was also briefly detained by uniformed men in the middle of Khan’s four-year tenure in 2020.
Successive Pakistan governments have often been criticized by rights monitors for using overbroad anti-terrorism legislation to quash dissent.
More than 1,000 marchers were arrested over the three days of unrest in Islamabad this week, according to police.
Amnesty International said security forces used “unlawful and excessive force” on crowds, but Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters on Wednesday the PTI was “lying saying people have died.”
The protesters’ main demand was the release of Khan, who has been jailed since August 2023 and snarled in a succession of legal cases he insists were orchestrated to prevent his comeback in the February 8 election.
The PTI won more seats than any other party in the vote but were shut out of power by a coalition of parties many believed to be backed by the military. The party has since staged regular protests alleging the vote was rigged, an allegation denied by authorities.