Protest against illegal arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman continues

LAHORE: Workers of Jang, Geo and The News continued protesting against the illegal arrest of Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman in the provincial metropolis on Sunday.

The protesters demanded immediate release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and shouted slogans against the NAB-Niazi nexus. They were also carrying banners demanding release of editor-in-chief. Senior journalists Zaheer Anjum, Awais Qarni, Aziz Sheikh, Akmal Bhatti, Jang Workers Union Secretary Muhammad Farooq, Afzal Abbas, Munawar Hussain and Wahab Khanzada were prominent among the protesters.

They urged the PTI government to release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman immediately and withdraw all bogus cases against him. Zaheer Anjum said the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was an attack on independent media. He asked the opposition parties to raise their voice and said silence was a crime. “Free media and democracy go hand-in-hand and the government is trying to weaken democracy by curbing the media,” he added.

Muhammad Farooq said the circle of protest would be widened, urging the government to face the truth and restrain from adopting a fascist attitude. Munawar Hussain said the PTI government could not face facts and truth.

He said the rulers are running the government with a dictatorial attitude. Wahab Khanzada said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman will never bow before any power as he was the custodian of freedom of expression and freedom of media.

On the other hand, Akmal Bhatti said editor-in-chief was the torch-bearer of freedom of journalism and his arrest was illegal and unjust. He said there was no concept of democracy without freedom of media while Afzal Abbas said media plays a vital role to strengthen democracy. He said journalists and workers of Jang Group will continue protest till the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.