Int’l media body urges PM Imran Khan to secure Jang-Geo editor-in-chief’s release

VIENNA, Austria: In a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, the International Press Institute (IPI), a global network or editors, media executives and journalists for press freedom, has expressed its extreme concerned over the continued detention of Mr. Shakil-ur-Rahman, editor-in-chief of Jang/Geo, the largest independent media group in Pakistan. Here isthe text of the letter signed by IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen:

Mr Shakil-ur-Rahman has spent over a month in prison, following his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on March 12, over allegations relating to a land deal that dates back more than three decades. Despite his deteriorating health, Mr Rahman, a highly respected editor, was denied bail by the Lahore High Court on April 7, even though there are no charges filed against him.

The NAB has informed the court that it is still investigating the allegations. The NAB has accused Mr Rahman of illegally leasing land from the government in 1986 and having it transferred to his name in 2016. The Bureau has claimed that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had allowed Mr Rahman to occupy more land than he was entitled to by law. The NAB has also accused Mr Sharif of illegally leasing land to Mr Rahman, and summoned the former Prime Minister to appear before it to record his statement.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has criticised the NAB for arresting Mr Rahman. Urging the government to prove its commitment to press freedom, the Commission said that “there remains a strong suspicion that such actions by NAB are selective, arbitrary and politically motivated.” The handling of Mr Rahman’s case by the NAB is particularly alarming, as it has come at a time when independent media in Pakistan is under severe political and financial pressure. The government has stopped publishing advertisements in several independent media outlets, including the Jung group, starving them of much-needed revenue.

Your excellency, when you became Prime Minister in August 2018, there was a glimmer of hope that independent media would be able to flourish in the country. The information minister announced soon after that the government had given the state-run media complete editorial control over content.

However, recent developments demonstrate that press freedom continues to be under severe threat in Pakistan. In December, protestors laid siege to Dawn’s Islamabad office, followed by similar protests outside the Karachi Press Club and Dawn’s offices in that city. IPI is worried that the continued persecution of the independent media is designed to convey a clear message – that any criticism of the government and the ruling party will have dire consequences for the survival of an independent press in Pakistan.

We urge you to take immediate action to secure the release of Mr Rahman and to ensure that press freedom remains a cornerstone of Pakistan’s democracy.