RAWALPINDI: The Jang/Geo Group workers along with the journalist organisations, civil society and political workers continued their protest on Wednesday against the illegal arrest of Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman, who has been under detention since last 70 days without any charge.
The countrywide protest completed 70 days on Wednesday. The protesters chanted slogans holding placards inscribed with their demand of release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman and condemned the curbs on the freedom of media.
Addressing the protesters outside the offices of Jang and The News at Murree Road in Rawalpindi, the speakers called for release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and vowed to continue their protest till his release.
Secretary General RIUJ and senior correspondent of the Geo News Asif Ali Bhatti warned Shakil-ur-Rahman was not released till Edil Fitr, the journalist organisations along with the workers of Geo and Jang Group will stage a protest outside the Prime Minister House on Eid day.
He said everyone knows that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was arrested in fake and fabricated case. “All the journalist organizations including the Pakistan Federal Unions of Journalists (PFUJ) and RIUJ stood with Editor-in-Chief of Geo and Jang Group Shakil-ur-Rahman,” he said.
Chairman Joint Action Committee and President Jang Workers Union Nasir Chisti said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman stood firm on his principled stance for the freedom of press even in jail while the workers of the Geo and Jang group continue their struggle for the cause of the freedom of media and release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman with high morals at the protest camp. “We will continue our struggle till the release of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief from fake and fabricated case,” he said.
Chief Reporter Jang Rawalpindi Rana Ghulam Qadir said it was Geo and Jang group that brought Imran Khan to the post of the prime minister and when he assumed power he first targeted the Geo and Jang Group. “Hazrat Ali said, “When people avail themselves of fame and power, they not only changed but also stand exposed,” and it was proved now,” he said.
Senior member of Editorial Committee of the Jang Abbas Alam said Geo and Jang Group has introduced new dimensions in the journalism in the country under the leadership of their Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief.
Leader of the PML-N Imtiaz Taji demanded the higher judiciary to take notice of illegal arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
He said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has rendered the services for the journalism in the country and for the freedom of press in the country.
Media workers of the Jang Group, Munir Shah and Amjad Abbasi said the workers of the Geo and Jang Group stood with the PFUJ and RIUJ for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and for the freedom of media in the country.
In Lahore, protesters belonging to various walks of life continued protest Wednesday against illegal detention of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
The protesters including Jang Group Editor Shaheen Qureshi, Ateeq-ur-Rehman, president Rising Youth Organisation, Abdullah Malik, member of civil society, Maqsood Butt, Awais Qarni, Muhammad Farooq, secretary Jang Workers Union, Babar Wasim, Munawar Hussain, Rana Nayab, Shahid Aziz, Afsar Khan, Afzal Abbas and workers of Jang Group slammed the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
They were of the view that fascists wanted to suppress voice of media freedom; however, they would not succeed in their nefarious designs. They were confident that such attempts were bound to fail and independence of media would continue to prevail in future too. The NAB-Niazi nexus in this connection won’t succeed, they observed. Terming MSR’s arrest attack on free media in Pakistan, they urged the superior judiciary to take notice of illegal detention of media magnate with a view to fulfilling requirements of justice.
In Karachi, vCondemning the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, former Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan lawmaker Nishat Zia Qadri on Wednesday said that the federal government’s malicious campaign against independent media was tantamount to suppressing the truth which will not be accepted at any cost.