ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani journalist, who was arrested after coverage of last week’s anti-government protests in Islamabad, on Sunday denied “fabricated” charges against him, a day after his release in a terrorism and narcotics case.
Matiullah Jan, a broadcaster working with Neo TV, was “picked up” from outside a hospital in Islamabad on Wednesday, where he was investigating alleged fatalities during the recent protests in support of jailed ex-premier Imran Khan, according to his son.
The police report registered against Jan included Code of Criminal Procedure’s Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to the committing of the theft), 427 (mischief causing damage), 506 (criminal intimidation) along with 7ATA (terrorism-related section) and a narcotics-related section.
On Saturday, an anti-terrorism court judge, Tahir Abbas Sipra, who presided over the hearing of Jan’s bail petition, approved the plea against surety bonds worth Rs10,000 ($36), following which he was released from custody.
“Allah Almighty has been very kind to me once again. I am back home safe and sound,” Jan said on X. “I want to completely deny the false and fabricated charges brought against me by the government.”
Jan has a history of criticizing Pakistan’s government and the country’s powerful military establishment. He was also briefly detained by uniformed men during Imran Khan’s tenure in 2020.
He thanked his lawyers, journalists, politicians, members of the civil society as well as the diplomatic community for standing by him and a timely response to ensure safety and security of journalists in Pakistan.
Successive Pakistan governments have often been criticized by rights monitors for using broad anti-terrorism legislation to quash dissent.
Islamabad witnessed a protest march by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, who faced a major government crackdown in which nearly a thousand political activists were arrested during three days of unrest this week.
Jan was investigating the aftermath of the crackdown on PTI workers when, according to his family, he was taken away by people in unmarked vehicles hours before the police announced his arrest.
Amnesty International has criticized Pakistani security forces for using “unlawful and excessive force” on crowds, but Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters on Wednesday that the PTI was “lying” about it, as its leaders claimed their followers had been killed.
Khan’s party has so far named 12 people, claiming it has evidence they lost their lives during the crackdown in the federal capital and demanding the judiciary take notice and hold top government ministers accountable.
Pakistani journalist, arrested after coverage of anti-government protests, denies ‘fabricated’ charges
https://arab.news/cht9d
Pakistani journalist, arrested after coverage of anti-government protests, denies ‘fabricated’ charges
- Matiullah Jan was booked in a terrorism and narcotics case after being arrested from outside a hospital in Islamabad
- Jan thanks his lawyers, journalists and the civil society as well as the diplomatic community for standing by him
Macroeconomic instability, inconsistent policies hinder FDI in Pakistan— economists, OICCI
- Pakistan’s foreign direct investment fell 26 percent to $748 million from $1.01 billion a year earlier — data
- Foreign investors also avoid Pakistan due to its repeated reliance on loans from the IMF, say economists
KARACHI: Despite being the fifth-largest consumer market in the world, Pakistan has failed to attract its “due share” of foreign direct investment (FDI) due to inconsistent policies, regional conflicts and macroeconomic stability, economists and a senior official of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) said this week.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has pursued economic diplomacy recently, traveling frequently to the China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other countries. However, these efforts have yet to translate into sustained inflows, as Pakistan has attracted a mere $3 billion in annual FDI over the past two decades, according to the SBP’s data.
Pakistan’s FDI fell 26 percent to $748 million from $1.01 billion a year earlier, extending the downward trend from $2.5 billion recorded in FY25 and $2.3 billion in FY24.
“Pakistan has not been able to attract its due share of the foreign direct investment,” OICCI Secretary General Abdul Aleem said on Friday.
The OICCI represents over 200 multinational companies operating in Pakistan, which have collectively reinvested $23 billion over the decade to 2023, according to the group’s website.
“One of the reasons that Pakistan has not been able to attract as much FDI as it should is also a situation in a region where there are conflicts.”
Aleem was referring to Pakistan’s recent border skirmishes with Afghanistan and its four-day military conflict with India in May this year.
Portfolio investment has also been far from impressive, rising to $160 million in July–Oct in FY26 from $97.2 million a year earlier. Portfolio investment reflects how much money foreigners invest in or withdraw from a country’s stock market.
Last month, Karachi-based market research firm Topline Securities reported that Pakistan had lost around $4 billion in portfolio investments over the past decade.
Arab News reached out to Pakistan’s finance adviser Khurram Schehzad and Jamil Ahmad Qureshi, the secretary-general of the Special Investment Facilitation Council but they were not immediately available for comment.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Arab News last month that Pakistan was now better positioned to seek foreign investment due to early signs of macroeconomic stabilization after a prolonged crisis.
‘GREATER CLARITY, CONTINUITY’
Sana Tawfik, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, said Pakistan could see more sustained foreign investment flows through consistent reforms and “clear policies.”
“But foreign investors look for greater clarity and continuity before committing large and long-term capital,” she noted.
Pakistan’s former finance adviser, Khaqan Najeeb, agreed. He said macroeconomic instability and policy shifts complicate business planning.
“Infrastructure gaps and regulatory hurdles further soften investor confidence,” Najeeb said, noting that Pakistan’s net FDI was hovering around the $1.5-2 billion mark, far below the country’s potential.
Najeeb pointed out that Islamabad’s repeated reliance on bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is also a major reason why foreign investors avoid Pakistan’s debt-burdened yet resilient economy.
Pakistan has secured at least 26 loans from the IMF since joining the organization in 1950, according to the Fund’s website. Pakistan secured a $7 billion bailout program from the global lender last year and is expecting a $1.2 billion tranche after the Executive Board’s meeting next week.
“I think chronic macroeconomic instability, currency volatility, reserves positions going down, going back to the IMF so many times have played a role in this,” he said.
He said Pakistan’s FDI inflows had remained “modest” due to its recurring balance of payments pressures, noting that periodic IMF programs create “uncertainty for long-term investors.”
Aleem said he was working with the government to streamline Pakistan’s tax structure and ease of doing business, noting that foreign investors often had concerns about the South Asian country’s “slow” legal system.
“It is not enough to say improvements have been made internally,” he said.
“You have to stand up internationally and at the right forums, share transparently what is good and what is not good in the country.”
