On December 9, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) adjourned the hearing on an acquittal plea filed by journalist Matiullah Jan in a case involving allegations of drugs possession and weapon snatching, due to the non-appearance of the defence counsel.

The hearing was scheduled before ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, who was set to hear arguments on the acquittal plea. However, proceedings could not move forward as the defence lawyer failed to appear in court. As a result, the court postponed the hearing until December 13 and directed both the prosecution and defence to present their arguments on the next date.

During the hearing, the journalist also sought a one-time exemption from personal attendance. The court noted the absence of defence arguments and formally adjourned the case.

A First Information Report (FIR), dated November 28, 2024, was registered against Jan, accusing him of terrorism and narcotics possession. The charges include alleged possession of 246 grams of crystal meth (ICE) and threatening police officers at a checkpoint in Islamabad. The FIR further alleged that Jan attempted to ram his vehicle into a police barricade and assaulted a constable. These accusations have been widely criticized as fabricated.