PML-N leader condemns arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) provincial President Amir Muqam has said that another 10 days extension in Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s remand was an effort to suppress the independent voice of Pakistan’s major media group.

Talking to The News on Saturday, he termed the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as illegal and pointed out that he was arrested even before completing inquiry against him. He said the PTI government also arrested the opposition leaders but could not prove a single case against them in the court and many of them were released subsequently.

He said the entire world knew that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was being punished in a 34 years old private property case to stop his media group from telling the truth.

Amir Muqam asked the rulers to hold investigations against those responsible for the mega scandals if they really believed in across-the-board accountability. He observed that no action was taken up till now in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Billion Tree Tsunami, and Malam Jabba land acquisition scandals in KP. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was making tall claims about accountability but adopted silence over the mega sugar and flour scandals.

By arresting Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, he said, the government also wanted to convey a message to other media owners that they would meet the same fate if they continued highlighting misdeeds of the rulers.He said the PTI leaders had also ignored the sacrifices and role of Jang Group in the struggle for democracy and rule of law. He said the PTI claims about bringing a positive change in Pakistan had proved wrong.

He pointed out that thousands of workers of the Jang Group had been affected as the government was not releasing the dues it owed to the group. He asked the government to release due payments so that the unrest among the employees could be removed.

Talking about his party leader Shahbaz Sharif, Amir Muqam said he was a man of his word and had delivered whatever he promised. “Shahbaz Sharif left his ailing brother Mian Nawaz Sharif in UK and came back to Pakistan to face the charges against him and remain with his people during the coronavirus pandemic,” he pointed out. Quoting Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, Amir Muqam said that the PML-N was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Jang Group and would raise its voice for it at every forum.