Demand made for release of Editor-in-Chief

PESHAWAR: The journalist community members on Monday continued the protest against the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and called his release without further delay.

The protesters converged on the lawn outside the offices of Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV in the Khyber Super Market to register anger at the long detention of the Jang Group chief.

They raised slogans against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and in support of the media freedom. Jang Resident Editor Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Sabz Ali Shah, Gohar Ali, Qaiser Khan, Ehtesham Toru, Amjad Safi, Sardar Imdad Ali Qazalbash, Rahamdil and others spoke on the occasion. The speakers were critical of the PTI government for putting under detention Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on cooked-up charges and keeping him behind bars for the last 194 days. The protesters said the Jang Group chief had been arrested to put under pressure the free media. They criticized the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for targeting the opposition parties and independent media houses. The speakers said the NAB was selective in taking actions against corruption and was sparing those ruling party members who were allegedly involved in tainted practices.

They requested the apex court to take notice of the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who had been under detention since March 12.