Journalist Matiullah Jan booked for drug possession and rash driving
Police claim Ice found in Matiullah’s car after high-speed chase; Matiullah allegedly attempted to ram police official
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Senior journalist and YouTuber Matiullah Jan has been booked under charges of drug possession, reckless driving, and obstructing law enforcement, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Thursday.
According to details, an FIR was registered at Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station on behalf of the state. The FIR alleges that police signalled Matiullah Jan to stop his speeding vehicle, but he attempted to run over the officers.
The vehicle was eventually stopped using barriers, and the journalist was reportedly found in an intoxicated state. Police claimed to have discovered a quantity of methamphetamine (ice) hidden under his car seat.
Matiullah Jan has been formally named in the FIR, which includes charges of endangering public safety and resisting law enforcement.
About Matiullah Jan:
Matiullah Jan is a well-known journalist in Pakistan, with a career spanning various media outlets. He currently runs a YouTube channel.
In 2020, he made headlines after being kidnapped in Islamabad. His abductors released him after 12 hours. He has also faced legal challenges, including contempt proceedings initiated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan over a critical tweet.
Matiullah Jan has authored several reports, including Guaranteeing Copyright and Watching the Watchdog, highlighting media freedoms and trends in Pakistan.
Publications:
He has authored or co-authored the following publications:
Guaranteeing Copyright: Media Manager's Guide to Pakistani Broadcast Law, Internews, 2004. Co-authored with Muhammad Aftab Alam.
Media in Pakistan, Growing Space, Shrinking Freedoms: Annual Report on State of Media Freedoms in Pakistan, Internews, 2005. Co-authored with Adnan Rehmat.
Watching the Watchdog: How Pakistan is Front Paged and Headlined? A Report on Trends in Pakistani Media, Centre for Civic Education Pakistan, 2006. Co-authored with Zafarullah Khan.
Reporter: Tayyab Saif