Release of Editor-in-Chief demanded

PESHAWAR: The journalist community members demanded the release of the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as they continued the protest against his arrest on Tuesday.

They had banners and placards when they staged the protest outside the offices of Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV in the Khyber Super Market on Stadium Road. The banners were inscribed with slogans flaying the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for detaining Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and called for his release. Daily Jang Resident Editor Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Sabz Ali Shah, Farmanullah Jan, Ihtesham Toru, Qaiser Khan, Gohar Ali and others spoke on the occasion. They criticized the government for arresting the head of the Jang Group on false charges and confining him for the last 181 days. The speakers said the present government was targeting the Jang Media Group for promoting independent journalism and the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman clearly showed that beyond any doubt. They said the masses were suffering because of the price hike and other issues as the PTI government was yet to deliver on the pledges it had made to the people during the election campaign. The speakers criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and said it was not impartial in its working. They requested the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who was on target because of the independent policy of his Jang/Geo Group.