Jang-Geo workers continue protest

LAHORE/ KARACHI: Protest against illegal arrest and detention of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman continued at Davis Road, here on Tuesday on the 104th day.

Workers of The News, Jang and Geo, senior journalists, civil society members and political parties’ leaders participated in the demonstration, held outside the Jang/Geo offices.

The speakers said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was the voice of the media. They said that despite use of all negative tactics against him, he has gained more respect among the media workers and the general public.

They expressed solidarity with Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and said raising a voice for the press freedom had always been a difficult job. However, they added Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had never shied away from standing against the tyrants. They paid rich tributes to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman over his stand against the enemies of the press freedom.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Editor Jang Shaheen Qureshi, Editor Jang Reporting Maqsood Butt, senior journalists Shahab Ansari, Zaheer Anjum, Awais Qarni, Mohammed Farooq, Khanzada, Aziz, Hafiz Asad, Munawwar Hussain, Mohammad Ali, Akmal Bhatti and Afzal Abbas.

In Karachi, former senator and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz leader Nehal Hashmi said that this federal government has desecrated the law and Constitution in an unprecedented manner. He strongly condemned the detention of Jang-Geo Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and demanded the Supreme Court of Pakistan to intervene and ensure justice.

He added that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was being held captive in a 34-year-old private transaction case which did not have any legal basis. He said that the whole world was speaking against the detention and the journalists, lawyers and cross section of society was protesting against it yet the government was continuing with its vendetta against the independent media.

In Peshawar, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Faisal Karim Kundi said that his party would raise voice in the parliament against the injustice being meted out to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman by the government.

Addressing the protesting workers of Jang/Geo Group, he condemned detention of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for the last 103 days without proving a corruption case against him.

Terming detention of Mir Shakil in a 34 years old property case as unjust, illegal and worst example of victimization, he said the PTI government has left behind the dictators in its anti-media policy. He recalled that the media had projected Imran Khan but he was the first one to punish the media for reporting the truth.

Faisal Karim Kundi, who is former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, demanded immediate release of Mir Shakil and withdrawal of cases against him. He said the illegal action against the major media group was condemnable and his party would raise voice against it in the parliament.

The workers carrying banners urged the government to release Mir Shakil and withdraw cases against him. They said the government and NAB should hold accountability of these responsible for the mega corruption scandals including Malam Jabba, Bus Rapid Transit, sugar and flour crises if it was interested in holding accountability of the corrupt.