RAWALPINDI/LAHORE/PESHAWAR: The workers of Geo and Jang Group with political activists and labour organisations Thursday continued protest in Rawalpindi against illegal arrest of Editor-in-Chief of Geo and Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
The countrywide protest of the workers of Geo and Jang Group on the call of the Joint Action Committee against the illegal arrest of the Editor-in-Chief entered 106th day on Thursday.
While protesting outside the offices of the Jang and The News at Murree Road in Rawalpindi, the protestors condemned the illegal arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and also appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take the notice of inhuman attitude towards the Editor-in-Chief.
The protestors including Secretary General PFUJ Nasir Zaidi, Chairman Editorial Committee Jang Rawalpindi Hanif Khalid, Chairman Joint Action Committee of Workers of Geo and Jang Rawalpindi and President Jang Workers Union Rawalpindi Nasir Chishti, Magazine Editor Farooq Aqdas, Chief Reporter Jang Rawalpindi Rana Ghulam Qdir, workers of The News, Jang Rawalpindi, Amjad Ali Abbasi, Munir Shah, Malik Nusrat and Jang Press workers called for release of the Editor-in-Chief.
They termed the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as a part of conspiracy to close the Jang, The News and Geo News.
In Lahore, the protesting journalists said the struggle for releasing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman will continue till his freedom and the government must refrain from using mean tactics for curbing freedom of the media.
The protest was held outside the Jang offices on Davis Road. The speakers, including senior journalists, Jang and Geo Group workers and prominent personalities from all walks of life said democracy cannot survive without a free media and added that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is fighting for the freedom of the media which is his biggest crime under this fascist regime.
They said raising a voice for the freedom of press has always been a crime but Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has never shied away from standing against the tyrants. The speakers appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of this gross injustice and order release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
In Peshawar, the workers of Jang Group continued the protest on Thursday against the detention of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands and against the government, they demanded the immediate release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and withdrawal of cases against him. Condemning the government and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for detaining the head of the largest media group of the country in a 34 years old private property case, the speakers said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been arrested even without completing the investigation process.
Reiterating the commitment to continue struggle till the acceptance of their demands, the protesting workers recalled their sacrifices for the freedom of expression and independent media in the past. They said they could neither be pressurised in the past nor anyone could do so now.
