Resolve renewed to continue protest for Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s release

PESHAWAR: The media workers from the Jang/Geo Group on Friday reiterated the resolve to continue the protest till the release of their head Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and withdrawal of the cases against him.

The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands. They have been staging a camp for the last 88 days to protest against the detention of Editor-in-Chief of Daily Jang, The News and Geo but all those concerned were looking the other way. The workers in separate speeches recalled that head of the biggest media group of the country had been detained in a 34 years old property case. They recalled that all required legal formalities were met for inking the property dead and there was nothing wrong with that.

They came down hard on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for arresting Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman even without completing the investigation into the very case. Flaying the PTI-NAB nexus, they said the government should make those accountable involved in the mega scandals if it was really interested in reforms and change. They said the so-called champions of the change first stopped the release of the government advertisements to the Jang Group and later changed the frequency of the Geo TV to victimise the group for not toeing the official line despite all pressures. The speakers hoped such cheap tactics could not pressurise the Jang Group in the past nor would the present rulers succeed.

They said the workers had rendered sacrifices in the past and would do so in future to maintain their independence and would continue highlighting the truth. The speakers, including Arshad Aziz Malik, Sabz Ali Shah, Shakeel Farman Ali, Shah Zaman, Imdad Ali Qazalbash and others urged the rulers to release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and withdraw cases against him.