Protest against illegal arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman continues

LAHORE/PESHAWAR: Khaksaar Tehreek Pakistan leader Engr Nisar Khan, dozens of its workers, renowned religious scholar Pir SA Jaffery, senior journalists and workers of The News, Jang and Geo demanded the release of Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman in the ongoing protest outside the Jang Offices on Friday.

The speakers, expressing their sentiments over the illegal arrest of the editor-in-chief by the NAB, said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has been wrongly put behind the bars. Engr Nisar Khan and Pir SA Jaffery expressed solidarity with Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and employees of the Jang Group.

Nisar Khan appealed to the Supreme Court to help in releasing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman without any delay. Senior journalists Zaheer Anjum, Shahab Ansari, Sher Ali Khalti and Jang Workers Union Secretary Muhammad Farooq said the case against editor-in-chief is very weak, terming it outright harassment and blackmailing.

Munawar Hussain, Khizar Hayat Gondal, Muhammad Shafique, Wahab Khanzada, Muhammad Farooq, Ayesha Akram, Abbas, Wajid, Majid, Afzal Abbas, Aziz Sheikh, Muhammad Ali, Ziaur Rehman and Muhammad Shahid were among the protesters. They shouted slogans against the NAB, premier Imran Khan, NAB-Niazi nexus and also demanded release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

In Peshawar, the members of the journalist community on Friday resented the long detention of the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, and called for his release.

They staged a rally at the Khyber Super Market outside the Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV offices to protest the incarceration. The protesters were holding banners inscribed with slogans. They raised chants against the detention of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. Among the speakers were Daily Jang Resident Editor Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Sabz Ali Shah, Ihtesham Toru and others. They lamented that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been detained for the last 170 days on dubious allegations.

The protesters flayed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for going after the political rivals and pressuring the independent media. They said the law was not properly followed in arresting Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, adding he was, in fact, being victimized for refusing to toe the official line as he headed the largest media group of the country.

The speakers questioned the role of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and said the anti-graft body was selective in approach to act against corrupt practices. They said the NAB was intentionally ignoring the big corruption scams and was using all its energy to silence the opposition political parties and the independent media. The protesting journalists implored the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of unjust detention of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and provide him with relief.