Detenion of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman: SC asked to take suo motu action against HR violation

RAWALPINDI: The protesting workers of Jang-Geo Group against the illegal and unjust arrest of Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on Thursday demanded from the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of his prolonged confinement, which has now turned into an issue of flagrant violation of basic human rights.

The demonstrations by the Group’s workers, journalists and labour organizations and political workers have been continuing for the last 153 days since Mir Shakil was arrested in a fabricated case.

In Rawalpindi, the protesters raised slogans and carried placards demanding the release of Editor-in-Chief and stopping its draconian campaign against the independent media. The protesters included Secretary General Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Nasir Zaidi, Chairman Joint Action Committee and President Jang Workers Union Rawalpindi Nasir Chisti, Magazine Editor Jang Rawalpindi Farooq Aqdas, Chief Reporter Jang Rawalpindi Rana Ghulam Qadir, Secretary General RIUJ Asif Ali Bhatti, Secretary General Jang Workers Union Rawalpindi Khalid Mehmood and dozens of others.

They said the founder of Jang Group Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman played a role in the independence struggle and “keeping Editor-in-Chief under detention on Independence Day is a condemnable act.” They said the NAB has been turned into the institution for political engineering and the purpose of keeping Mir Shakil under arrest is only meant to suppress the free media by an absolutely intolerant government. They pledged to continue their struggle till his release.

In Karachi, former chief of the Citizen-Police Liasion Committee Ahmed Chinoy while speaking to the protest said the long and undue detention of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is tantamount to destabilizing the biggest pillar of journalism in Pakistan.

Chinoy said that the Jang-Geo Group was respected worldwide for its independent and trustworthy publications and broadcasts and it was being subjected to draconian curbs over reflecting the truth. The All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation Secretary General Shakil Yamin Kanga said that prime minister Imran Khan was running a spiteful campaign against Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman to satisfy his ego. Others who spoke at the demonstration included Javed Press Employees Union general secretary Rana Yusuf and The News Employees Union general secretary Dara Zafar.

In Peshawar, the media workers gathered outside the offices of the Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV to express anger at the unjust incarceration of the owner of the biggest media group of the country.

Daily Jang Resident Editor Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Farmanullah Jan, Shah Zaman, Ansar Abbas, Qaisar Khan, Gulzar Khan, Imdad Ali Qazalbash and others spoke on the occasion. The speakers said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been under arrest since March 12 on fabricated charges. They flayed the government for victimizing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and his Jang Group for promoting independent journalism.

They said the NAB should have moved against those involved in huge financial scandals. The speakers said the former adviser to KP chief minister, Ajmal Wazir, had been asked to quit for allegedly demanding kickbacks for releasing government advertisements but the issue was ignored.