Call to release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

PESHAWAR: The members of the journalist community on Monday continued the protest against the arrest of the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, and renewed the demand for his release without further delay.

The protesters gathered outside the Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV offices at the Khyber Super Market. They were carrying banners and placards which condemned the incarceration of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman since March 12 in a property case. The protesters chanted slogans against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for putting pressure on the Jang Group and detaining Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Jang Resident Editor Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Sabz Ali Shah, Ihtesham Toru, Gulzar Khan, Gohar Ali, Imdad Ali Qazalbash and others. They said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been under detention for the last 166 days on false charges in a property case. The speakers said the PTI government was busy in efforts to control the free media and was targeting the non-pliant media houses, adding the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been made in this context. The protesters explained that thought the legal experts had said that the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was illegal and unconstitutional, he continued to be under detention which was a clear case of victimization. They questioned the impartiality of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)and said it was targeting the government opponents and the free media.

The speakers said the anti-graft body had failed to act against those ruling party members who were involved in the mega scandals of corruption. The protesters appealed to the apex court to take notice of the detention of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and provide him justice as his arrest was affecting thousands of media workers employed with the Jang Group.