Call for release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman renewed

PESHAWAR: The media workers renewed the call for releasing the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as they continued the protest against his arrest on Tuesday.

The protesters gathered outside the offices of Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV to register anger at the arrest of the Jang Group head. A senior journalist and Peshawar Press Club President Syed Bukhar Shah led the protest. The protesting media workers had banners and placards in their hands.

They chanted slogans against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for victimizing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who headed the largest media group of the country.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Syed Bukhar Shah. Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Sabz Ali Shah, Farmanullah Jan, Rasool Dawar, Ansar Abbas, Ihtesham Toru, Qaiser Khan, Amjad Safi, Rizwan Shaikh, Sardar Imdad Ali Qazalbash, Raham Dil and others.

The speakers were critical of the PTI government for arresting Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on March 12 and keeping him behind bars for a long time.

They said the PTI government had arrested the Jang Group chief on false charges and continued to detain him for the last 202 days. The speakers said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been arrested to bring the independent media under pressure and force it to toe the official line. They flayed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for targeting the opposition parties and free media on purpose.

The speakers lamented the lack of action by the NAB against the ruling party members who were allegedly involved in tainted practices.

They said the anti-graft body was not acting against those involved in mega corruption scandals such as wheat flour, sugar crises, Malam Jabba land, Billion Tree Tsunami and Bus Rapid Transit.

The speakers requested the apex court to take notice of the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.