Demand renewed for release of Editor-in-Chief

PESHAWAR: The members of the journalist community urged the government to release the Jang/Geo Media Group Editor-in-Chief, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, as they continued the protest against his arrest on Monday.

The protesters staged a walk and later gathered at the offices of the Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV. They were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans that condemned the pressure tactics against the free media and sought the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman without any delay. The protesters said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman headed the largest media group of the country but had been behind bars since March 12 on dubious charges. Among the speakers who addressed the protesters were Daily Jang Resident Editor Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Shah Zaman, Qaisar Khan, Gulzar Khan, Imdad Ali Qazalbash and others. They were critical of the government for targeting Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and his Jang Group for pursuing independent journalism. The protesters said the Jang Group was being penalized for promoting free journalism and becoming a voice for the pressed sections of the society. The speakers said legal experts and people from other walks of life had said that the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was illegal, unconstitutional and an attack on the free media. They said there was a nexus between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and both had joined hands to target the governmental opponents and independent media. The speakers said the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman in a 34-year-old property case clearly pointed to victimization. They appealed to the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.