Justice should be seen to be done in Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman case: Fawad

LONDON: The Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that a free trial is the right of Geo and Jang Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and justice should be seen to be done in his case.

The federal minister was speaking to the Overseas Pakistani Journalists Action Committee (OPJAC) in a virtual meeting arranged by ­Convener Azhar Javaid and senior journalist Farid Qureshi. Journalists from the UK and Europe attended the briefing by Fawad Chaudhry.

When asked questions about the continuing detention of MSR for over two months after being arrested illegally by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Fawad Chaudhry said that “Justice should not be just done but should be seen to be done” in the case of MSR who is in detention in a 34 years old private land purchase case and whose detention has attracted international outcry.

Fawad Chaudhry commended Jang and Geo media houses for a tremendously, positive, powerful and historic role in the service of Pakistan.

Fawad Chaudhry said that Jang Group’s contribution for Pakistan stretches over 70 years. “Starting from Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman to MSR to Mir Ibrahim Rehman, they have played a major role. Such groups don’t come into being overnight and have a strong history. A free trial is a fundamental right of MSR. Nobody should be spared investigation or trial because of his weight and worth but at the same time, justice should be seen to be done. I hope MSR gets a free trial and all pre-requisites of the trial are met.”

Fawad Chaudhry fully supported the call by Federal Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s special assistants and advisers to declare their assets, nationalities, and conflict of interests in Pakistan and abroad. Ghulam Sarwar Khan told journalist Adil Shahzeb in an interview that there were aliens sitting in the cabinet of PM Imran Khan and their origins and realities were not known.

Fawad Chaudhry told British Pakistani journalists: “I agree with Ghulam Sarwar Khan. Special Assistants to Prime Ministers (SAPMs) and advisers should declare their assets and interests. Only elected representatives should be able to make a decision, not advisers and assistants. This is a legal requirement. This is what Imran Khan asked for when he was in opposition and asked PTI leaders to make declarations.”

The federal minister said, “Expert opinions should be part of the government and the concept and role of advisers and special assistants is important but they should not make decisions because they are not answerable to electorates and have nothing to lose or gain at the ballot box. Elected representatives declare their assets and get held accountable by the media and the law.”