Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s arrest: Jang/Geo workers’ resolve unshakable

RAWALPINDI: The workers of Geo and Jang Group Saturday made a pledge to continue their movement for release of Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman from fake and fabricated case on 34-year-old private business transaction.

The protest camp of Jang/Geo workers on the call of the Joint Action Committee outside the Jang Building at Murree Road in Rawalpindi has been going on for the last 107 days.

The Jang/Geo workers along with Pakistan Federal Unions of Journalists (PFUJ), political workers and labour organisations chanted the slogans against the injustice with Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and conspiracies against the freedom of media. PFUJ Secretary General Nasir Zaidi said the journalists and media workers have been struggling for the freedom of media for the last 107 days.

He said the free media is a voice of people and Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is a symbol of free media and the government put him behind the bar to deny the people from truth.

Chairman Editorial Committee Rawalpindi Hanif Khalid said the workers of Geo and Jang Group stood firm with Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

He appealed the higher judiciary of the country to take notice of illegal arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Chairman Joint Action Committee and President Jang Workers Union Rawalpindi Nasir Chisti said the workers stood united and will continue their movement till the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Chief Reporter Jang Rawalpindi Rana Ghulam Qadir said that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was arrested on fake application without any charge. Magazine Editor Rawalpindi Farooq Aqdas called for release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman at the earliest.

RIUJ Secretary General and senior correspondent Geo News Asif Ali Bhatti said despite being behind the bars for last 107 days, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman refused to make any compromise on his principled stance of freedom of media.

He said the workers of Geo and Jang group with their protest that continued for last 107 days tells the government that they stand with Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and will continue their movement till his release.

Media workers of Jang Munir Shah, Amjad Ali Abasi, Malik Nusrat, Muzzafar Bhatti and press workers vowed to continue their protest till the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. In Lahore, the Jang/Geo employees, representatives of Pakistan Federal Unions of Journalists (PFUJ), civil society and political workers continued their protest at Davis Road on Monday against the illegal arrest of Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

The Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief has been in illegal detention for the last 110 days, in clear violation of human rights and the press freedom.

Protesters, taking part in the demonstration outside the Jang/Geo offices, demanded immediate release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. The participants vowed to continue their protest till release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and complete freedom of the media and financial security of journalists and media workers. They said if Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was not released immediately, they would stage demonstrations outside the National and provincial assemblies and the main roads in major cities.

They called upon the superior courts to take notice of stubbornness of Imran Khan’s government and connivance with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to suppress the media.

The arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is a conspiracy against the press freedom, which is showing the general public a true picture of Imran-led hoarders.

They said Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief stood firm on his principled stance for the freedom of press even in jail while the workers of the Geo and Jang group continue their struggle for the cause of freedom of the media and release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

The demonstration was attended by Jang Group Editor Shaheen Qureshi, senior journalists Maqsood Butt, Zaheer Anjum, Khizar Hayat Gondal, Zahid Ali Khan, Owais Qarni, Shahab Ansari, Amjad Farooqi, Asher Butt, human rights activist Abdullah Malik, Aziz Sheikh, Shahid Aziz, Munawwar Hussain, Jang Workers Union Secretary Muhammad Farooq, Riaz Hussain, Sher Ali Khalti, Mohammad Shahid, Wahab Khanzada, Mohammad Ali, Akmal Bhatti, Babar Waseem, Afzal Abbas and others.

They also displayed a banner and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands. The protesters urged the government to release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and take back cases instituted against him in a bid to pressure the biggest media group of the country. They stated that arrests of media owners and journalists won’t fulfil the nefarious designs of the government, rather it would give rise to resentment against it. The government should adopt a policy to have a free society.