On April 02, the Supreme Court (SC) stopped the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) from the framing of charges against veteran journalist Matiullah Jan and directed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to swiftly make a decision on the terrorism charges levied against him. This decision came during a court hearing by a three-judge bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar including Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.
The court’s intervention follows a plea by Matiullah Jan challenging the IHC’s refusal on February 23, 2026, to grant temporary relief from his ongoing criminal trial. The prosecution did not oppose the Supreme Court’s decision to expedite the Islamabad High Court’s review.
Represented by Barrister Qadeer Janjua, Jan disputed the trial court’s jurisdiction and the application of terrorism charges. He was arrested on November 28, 2024, on charges of snatching a police constable’s weapon and possessing narcotics — specifically 10 grams of “ice” (crystal methamphetamine)—as per the FIR lodged at Police Station Margalla, Islamabad.
