Protests for Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s release continue

LAHORE/PESHAWAR: Journalists, civil society members, office-bearers of media unions and the trade union of the Jang Group on Saturday condemned the arrest of Geo-Jang Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for the last 190 days over a 35-year-old property exchange case without giving any proof of charges or making any progress in the investigations.

Staging a demonstration outside Jang offices on Saturday at a protest camp of the workers of Geo, Jang and The News employees for the 168th consecutive day, they criticized Prime Minister Imran Khan for working contrary to his claims of turning Pakistan into a Madina-like state by victimizing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for exposing corruption and bad governance of the PTI government.

The participants termed it a blatant attack on media freedom and raised slogans against the fascist PTI regime and condemned the illegal and coercive tactics of the NAB against the media.

They demanded the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu action against against gross injustice and attack on the freedom of expression and independence of media.

The participants in the protest included Secretary General of Jang Workers Union Malik Farooq Awan, News Editor of Pakistan Times Zaheer Anjum, civil society leader Abdullah Malik, Awais Qarni, Amer Malik, Sher Ali Khalti, Asim Hussain, Muhammad Shafiq, Abdul Wahab, Ayesha Akram, Ms Rifat, Aziz Sheikh, Munawwar Hussain, Shahid Aziz, Tariq Aziz, Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Ali, Akmal Bhatti, Afzal Abbas, Mushtaq and others.

Similarly in Peshawar, journalists carrying banners and placards gathered outside the offices of The News, Geo TV and daily Jang to record the protest against curtailing media liberties and demanded the release of the Editor-in-Chief. Speaking on the occasion, the protesting workers asked chief justice of the Supreme Court to take notice of the arrest and illegal detention of Mir Shakil. They maintained that the government was using the National Accountability Bureau for political victimization of the Jang-Geo group and to gag the independent media.

The said that it was a sheer injustice that the Editor In Chief was arrested in connection with a 34-year-old property case, which reflects that the rulers intention to rein in the free media. The protesting journalists pledged to continue to highlight the wrongdoings of the government and provide credible information to the people, which was their constitutional right.