Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s detention: Jang/Geo workers protest has become a national movement

RAWALPINDI/LAHORE: At the protest camp of the journalists and workers of the Geo and Jang Group against the illegal and unjustified arrest of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, the protesters said the movement for release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has now turned into a national movement for freedom of press and expression.

The journalists and workers of Geo and Jang Group along with the Federal Union of Journalists, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, representatives of the civil Society and political workers continued their countrywide protest against the illegal and unjustified arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for last 192 days.

At the protest camp outside the offices of Jang and The News in Rawalpindi, the speakers chanted slogans and raised placards for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and in support of the freedom of media and expression. Secretary General PFUJ Nasir Zaidi while addressing the protest camp said that the movement for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has now turned into a movement of the restoration of democracy and freedom of press.

He said a few people were of the view that with the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, they could control the independent editorial policy of the Geo and Jang Group but they failed to do so as the journalists stood firm behind Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Chairman Joint Action Committee of the workers of Geo and Jang Group Islamabad and President Jang Workers Union Rawalpindi Nasir Chisti said the international human rights and journalist organisations have joined the workers of Geo and Jang Group to raise the voice for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, who was being victimised for personal grudge of the rulers.

Resident Editor Jang Rawalpindi Hanif Khalid said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman always did the journalism on principle and he never comprised on his principle of freedom of media. Secretary General RIUJ Asif Ali Bhatti said the struggle of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is for the supremacy of the constitution and law of land.

Chief Reporter Jang Rawalpindi Rana Ghulam Qadir said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has now become national hero, who faced jail but never compromised on his principled stance. Local leader of the PML-N Rawalpindi Imtiaz Taji said the opposition parties have raised their joint voice for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. Munir Shah, Amjad Abbasi and others also spoke on the occasion.

LAHORE: Jang/Geo workers continued their protest against the illegal arrest of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman here on Monday and demanded that the government immediately release him.

The protesting workers were carrying banners and shouting slogans demanding the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. The protesters included Kashmiri leader Humayoun Zaman, senior journalists Zaheer Anjum, Awais Qarni, Sher Ali Khalti, Aysha Ikram, Afzal Abbas, Aziz Sheikh and Secretary Jang Workers Union Muhammad Farooq.

The protesters urged the government to release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman immediately and withdraw all bogus cases against him. They chanted slogans against the nexus of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the PTI government.

Zaheer Anjum said the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is an attack on independent media. He asked opposition parties to raise their voice and said silence is a crime. “Free media and democracy go hand-in-hand and the government is trying to weaken democracy by curbing media”, he added.

Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has been arrested in a case pertaining to a 34-year-old property transaction that has nothing to do with the government, said Muhammad Farooq. He said the circle of protest would be widened, urging the government to face the truth and restrain from adopting a fascist attitude. He said the PTI government cannot face facts and truth as the rulers are running the government with a dictatorial attitude.

Yousaf Mughal said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman will never bow before any power as he is the custodian of freedom of expression and freedom of media.

Munawar Hussain said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is the torch-bearer of freedom of journalism and his arrest is illegal and unjust. He said there is no concept of democracy without freedom of media. Media plays a vital role to strengthen democracy, he said, adding that journalists and workers of the Jang Group would continue their protest till the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.