PESHAWAR: Journalists renewed the demand for the release of the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as they continued the protest against his arrest on Tuesday.
Holding banners and placards, the protesters gathered outside the offices of the Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV to voice anger at the arrest of the head of the largest media group of the country since March 12.
Peshawar Press Club President Syed Bukhar Shah led the protest which is staged regularly on daily bases.
The protesters raised slogans against the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and in favour of the press freedom. Those who spoke on the occasion included Syed Bukhar Shah, Nisar Mahmood, Arshad Aziz Malik, Ehtesham Toru, Qaisar Khan, Shakeel Farman Ali, Amjad Safi, Ansar Abbas, Gohar Ali, Rahamdil and others.
The speakers slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for victimsing the Jang Media Group and its chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman to put them under pressure for a pliant coverage. They lamented that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been under detention for the last 230 days on false charges. The speakers said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was not impartial and victimizing the opposition political parties and the independent media at the behest of the government. They were critical of the anti-graft body for not taking action over the huge corruption scams such as wheat flour, sugar, Malam Jabba land, Billion Tree Tsunami and Bus Rapid Transit Project as the ruling party members were allegedly linked to these practices.
The speakers implored Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.