PFUJ urges quashing of fabricated case against journalist Matiullah Jan

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published last month |  JP Staff Report

PFUJ denounces a fabricated drug case against investigative journalist Matiullah Jan, calling it an attempt to silence him, and demands that authorities quash the charges immediately.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned what it calls a fabricated drug trafficking case against senior investigative journalist Matiullah Jan, urging authorities to quash the charges immediately.

In a joint statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari decried the case as a blatant attempt to silence one of Pakistan’s most outspoken journalists. “The charges against Matiullah Jan are nothing but a malicious attempt to undermine his credibility and impede his investigations. We demand that these baseless charges be withdrawn or quashed forthwith,” the PFUJ said.

The union criticized Islamabad police for continuing to pursue what it described as a “frivolous and politically motivated” case nearly a year after Jan’s abduction by unidentified men. “The circumstances surrounding Matiullah Jan’s abduction raise serious questions about the intent behind these actions,” the PFUJ leaders said.

Calling the situation a “grave injustice,” the PFUJ urged the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, and the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court to take immediate notice and direct the police to drop the case. The statement also pressed the government to ensure journalists’ safety and protect them from harassment, intimidation, or fabricated charges.

Photo: Representational