Amid growing concern over the safety of abducted Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan, the Committee to Protect Journalists has asked Pakistan authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the disappearance.
“The abduction of Matiullah Jan in broad daylight in a high-security area in Islamabad is distressing, and the perpetrators must be held to account immediately,” said Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher.
“Pakistani authorities and intelligence services must immediately determine Matiullah Jan’s whereabouts and ensure his swift and safe release.”
The CPJ statement follows reports that Tuesday morning, several unidentified men intercepted Jan’s car in Islamabad’s G-6 Sector, forced him into another vehicle, and drove away.
Jan has been an outspoken critic of the state and government policies in recent years and has faced threats previously.
The Committee said Abdul Razaq Jan, the journalist’s son spoke to CPJ in a phone interview after the widely reported abduction of Jan in the heart of the capital.
The footage shows about a dozen men are seen exiting at least three vehicles and forcing a man out of his car and into another car. A truck with emergency vehicle lighting is seen following the cars as they drive away, the CPJ notes citing reports
Police have not confirmed the veracity of the footage, according to those reports.
Jan hosts a YouTube political commentary channel which has about 67,000 followers. He formerly hosted an investigative talk show on local broadcaster Waqt TV. In 2018, Jan was among the journalists the army accused of sharing anti-state remarks on social media, as CPJ documented at the time, the Committee said.
The journalist was scheduled to attend a hearing at Pakistan’s Supreme Court tomorrow in response to a summons for allegedly “using derogatory/contemptuous language and maligning the institution of the judiciary” on Twitter, according to a court notice, which CPJ reviewed.
Last week, Jan told CPJ that he believed the case against him was retaliation for his critical commentary on Pakistan’s military and judiciary, as well as his press freedom activism. Yesterday, he confirmed to CPJ that he planned to attend tomorrow’s hearing.
In the security footage, the victim can be seen throwing his phone over a wall, which one of the abductors later retrieves. The journalist’s son said he believes his father threw the phone to try to raise alarm. He said the attack appeared professional and coordinated.
Information Minister Shibli Faraz said that Jan had been kidnapped the Committee notes citing reports.
CPJ called the Islamabad inspector-general of police for comment, but no one answered. When CPJ called the Aabpara police station, which covers the area where Jan was abducted, a representative told CPJ there was no update at the time, the Committee said in the statement.
