THE faces change but the playbook remains the same. It is a sad fact that governments in Pakistan, throughout the country’s history, have misused the law to silence dissent, and punish critics.

The arrest of journalist Matiullah Jan in the aftermath of the PTI’s disastrous protest in Islamabad certainly appears to be a case of the state’s overzealous and misplaced application of the law. Mr Jan was detained by the police on Nov 26 and has been charged with narcotics possession and assaulting a policeman, including charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

His counsel say the charges are fabricated and politically motivated. They add that the charges have more likely been inspired by Mr Jan’s work, particularly his efforts to verify reports about deaths during the clash between PTI supporters and the authorities. Leading rights bodies and journalists’ associations, foreign and local, have demanded his release. On Friday, the Islamabad High Court suspended his physical remand and sent the journalist on judicial remand.

The state should not make a plaything of the law. If there are reasonable grounds for suspicion, the government can proceed with filing a case. However, lawfare must not be waged on the basis of scurrilous ‘evidence’. Before Mr Jan, there have been countless journalists, rights defenders and political activists who have faced similar treatment. The state tends to throw the law books at people it feels threatened by, making a mockery of the legal system.

A similar tactic is the filing of multiple FIRs across the country — from Kohat in the north to Gwadar in the south — simultaneously by random individuals whose sensibilities have been ‘hurt’ by the speeches or social media posts of the government’s critics. These efforts would have been comical were it not for the often serious charges applied, including of treason and blasphemy. The powers that be should end this abuse of the law and stop hounding dissenting voices.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2024