Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s detention: Jang-Geo workers protest has become a national movement

RAWALPINDI/LAHORE: At the protest camp of journalists and workers of the Geo and Jang Group against the illegal and unjustified arrest of Jang-Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, the protesters said the movement for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has now turned into a national movement for freedom of press and expression.

The journalists and workers of Geo-Jang Group along with the Federal Union of Journalists, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, representatives of the civil society and political workers continued their countrywide protest against the illegal and unjustified arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for the last 192 days. At the protest camp outside the offices of Jang and The News in Rawalpindi, the speakers chanted slogans and raised placards for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and in support of the freedom of media and expression.

Secretary General PFUJ Nasir Zaidi said that the movement for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has now turned into a movement of restoration of democracy and freedom of press. He said some people were of the view that with the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, they could control the independent editorial policy of the Geo and Jang Group but they failed to do so as journalists stood firm behind Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Chairman Joint Action Committee Islamabad and President Jang Workers Union Rawalpindi Nasir Chisti said the international human rights and journalist organisations have joined the workers of Geo and Jang Group to raise the voice for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, who was being victimised for personal grudge of the rulers.

Resident Editor Jang Rawalpindi Hanif Khalid said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman always did journalism on principle and he never compromised on his principle of freedom of media.

Local leader of the PML-N Rawalpindi Imtiaz Taji said the opposition parties have raised their joint voice for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

LAHORE: Jang-Geo workers continued their protest against the illegal arrest of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman here on Monday and demanded that the government immediately release him. The protesters urged the government to release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman immediately and withdraw all bogus cases against him.

Zaheer Anjum said the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is an attack on independent media. He asked opposition parties to raise their voice and said silence is a crime. “Free media and democracy go hand-in-hand and the government is trying to weaken democracy by curbing media”, he added. Munawar Hussain said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is the torch-bearer of freedom of journalism and his arrest is illegal and unjust. He said there is no concept of democracy without freedom of media.