ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), on Saturday, approved bail of senior journalist Matiullah Jan, against the surety bonds set at Rs10,000.

Police produced the journalist before ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra who granted him bail.

This ruling follows a decision by a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), on Friday, which suspended the ATC’s earlier order to grant physical remand for Matiullah Jan and instead, placed him under judicial remand in jail.

The IHC bench was headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.

Matiullah Jan was arrested on Thursday. According to the FIR filed at Islamabad’s Margallah Police Station, police officers had attempted to stop Mati’s speeding vehicle, but he allegedly tried to run them over. The vehicle was stopped using barriers, and police claimed that Matiullah was found in an intoxicated state, with methamphetamine (ice) discovered under his car seat. The legal team of the journalist, including his lawyers, Imaan Zainab Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, challenged the arrest, calling the charges baseless.

Police registered the FIR against Jan under Section 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to the committing of the theft), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 506 (criminal intimidation) of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), while 7ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act) and a narcotics related section was also included.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024