Missing journalist Matiullah Jan returns home

ISLAMABAD: Unidentified kidnappers have released senior journalist Matiullah Jan after around 12 hours and left him at a location near Fateh Jang town, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Sources said that he departed for his home with his brother after getting released by the abductors who left him near Fateh Jang, a small town located in Punjab province.

Prior to the development, Prime Minister Imran Khan took notice of the incident and talked to his special assistant on accountability and interior, Shahzad Akbar.

Shahbad Akbar, while talking to ARY News, confirmed that the premier issued directives to take emergency measures for the recovery of the missing journalist within 24 hours.

The PM’s aide said that the concerned authorities were closely monitoring the case and necessary steps will be taken shortly.

Read: Govt takes notice of alleged abduction of senior journalist Matiullah Jan

Earlier in the day, the Federal Minister on Human Rights Shireen Mazari and Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shahzad Akbar took notice of the incident.

Shahzad Akbar said in a Twitter message that he has spoken with the Inspector General (IG) Islamabad Police to register a First Investigation Report (FIR) besides asking the police forces to recover the missing journalist at earliest. The special assistant also asked authorities to trace Matiullah Jan within 24 hours.

Shireen Mazari said that she was informed about the kidnapping of the senior journalist and termed it ‘very disturbing’ incident. The federal minister said that the Islamabad police chief apprised her that there were looking into it.

The senior journalist Matiullah Jan was allegedly abducted by an unidentified group of men from Sector G-6 of Islamabad in broad daylight. The abductors fled to an unknown location after kidnapping the journalist.