Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s victimisation flayed

PESHAWAR: The journalist community members flayed the government for victimizing the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, and reiterated the demand for his release as they continued the protest against his arrest on Sunday.

The protesting journalist gathered at the offices of the Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV to register their anger.

They had banners and placards in their hands which had been inscribed with slogans and demands. The protesters called for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as he headed the largest media group of the country, who had been under detention since March 12 of this year. Daily Jang Resident Editor Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Shah Zaman, Qaisar Khan, Gulzar Khan and others spoke on the occasion. They flayed the government for victimizing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for the independent policy of his Jang Media Group.

The speakers said the Jang Group was being punished for promoting independent journalism. They said the arrest of the Jang Media Group chief was illegal, unconstitutional and an attack on the free media. The speakers were critical of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and National Accountability Bureau (NAB for targetting the largest media group of Pakistan. They said the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman by the NAB in a 34-year-old property case was questionable and a clear case of arm-twisting.

The speakers said the PTI government was after the independent media which had affected the media houses and a large number of journalists who were linked to the profession. They said the government should have conducted the accountability of those involved in the massive corruption scandals but that was never done and instead it was pressuring the independent media.

The protesting journalists requested the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who represented the free media.