ANP asks SC to take notice of detention of Editor-in-Chief

PESHAWAR: The workers of Jang/Geo Group on Friday continued protest against the arrest of their Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans, the protesters demanded immediate release of Mir Shakil and withdrawal of cases against him.

Chanting slogans against the government and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for implicating Mir Shakil in a 34-year-old property case for not towing the government line. Awami National Party (ANP) leader Farid Toofan visited the protest camp to extend solidarity to Jang Group workers and pledged support to them.

Paying rich tributes to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and his family for highlighting the problems of the common people, saying the government would not be able to pressure the major media of the country through such tactics.

Farid Toofan said that his party stood by the Jang Group and would continue to support it until the release of Mir Shakil. He added that the detention of Mir Shakil was unjust, saying he had committed no wrongdoing. Coming down hard on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government for trying to keep the media and journalists in chains, he said it would ruin the system and that was not acceptable to them.

By raising voice against the injustices of the government, he said Mir Shakil has established history, saying the government could not pressure the Jang Group. He added that the government was trying to suppress the voice of the independent media to hide its corruption scandals. He appealed to the chief justice Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the injustice being meted out to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and the Jang Group.