Hawkers protest arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

PESHAWAR: The union of hawkers staged a protest rally on Monday, demanding the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Editor-in-Chief of the Jang/Geo Media Group.

Carrying placards and banners, the protesters raised slogans against the government and in favour of the freedom of the press. Peshawar Press Club President Syed Bukhar Shah, former president of the Khyber Union of Journalists Arshad Aziz Malik, hawkers’ union provincial president Muhammad Fayyaz, president for the Peshawar district, Raza Khan, and other office-bearers led the rally.

Speakers on the occasion said people from various walks of life had united against the government’s attack on the media. They said the arrest of the largest media group owner was a conspiracy and demanded his release forthwith. The speakers said the media workers from all over the country were protesting against the detention of the Editor-in-Chief of Jang, Geo and The News. They demanded the release of Mir Shakil and restoration of Geo transmission to its original number on the cable. The speakers also asked the government to release the withheld outstanding dues so that the group could pay salaries to its workers. They said the government was punishing the media group for speaking the truth and bringing to the fore the wrongdoings by those in the corridors of power. The speakers said the journalists and newspaper hawkers from Chitral to Karachi were unanimous in their demand for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. They said journalists’ history was full of struggle against the military and civilian dictatorships, adding they never compromised on the rights of the workers and freedom of the press.