Politicians demand release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

PESHAWAR: The media workers of the Jang, Geo and The News continued the protest camp against the arrest of their Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for the 7th consecutive day on Sunday.

The local leaders of the various political parties turned up at the camp to express solidarity with the journalists who had gathered outside the offices of the Jang, Geo and The News at the Khyber Super Market. Among those who joined the protest camp were the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Arbab Khizer Hayat and Qaumi Watan Party KP chapter vice-chairman Tariq Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, Arbab Khizer Hayat said the Jang Group always reported the truth. He said the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was meant to suppress the independent media. Arbab Khizer Hayat came down hard on the government for using all pressure tactics to subdue the press and said his party stood by the Jang Media Group in these difficult times. The PML-N leader paid tributes to the Jang Group for its contributions to the promotion of democracy. He demanded an immediate release of release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Tariq Khan of the QWP, too, criticized the government for employing pressure tactics against the free media. He said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was being punished for writing and reporting the truth but the rulers would not be able to pressure him as he represented the free media, “he added. The QWP leader asked the government to free the editor-in-chief of the Jang Media Group.