Journalists renew demand for Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s release

PESHAWAR: The workers here on Saturday continued to protest against the arrest of Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands, the protesters demanded immediate release of Mir Shakil and withdrawal of cases against him.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for detaining Mir Shakil in a three decades old property case without fulfilling the legal formalities.

Speaking on the occasion, Resident Editor Daily Jang Peshawar Arshad Aziz Malik and other journalists, including Shamim Shahid, Shakeel Farman Ali and Gohar Ali, condemned the government and NAB or arresting Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

They said the rulers would not be able to suppress voice of media through such tactics and the journalists would continue telling the truth. Terming the arrest of Mir Shakil an attack on media, the protesting journalists said that he was being punished for speaking the truth.

They said the rulers should hold the corrupt accountable by probing wrongdoings in Bus

Rapid Transit project, Malam Jaba land scam, Billion Tree Tsunami project, sugar and flour scandals.

Demanding the immediate release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and withdrawal of cases against him, the protesters said the previous governments had also tried to suppress voice of independent media but they could not succeed in their designs. They warned to expand protest movement if their demands were not met.