Demand for Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s release getting stronger

RAWALPINDI/LAHORE/PESHAWAR: The demonstration of journalists and workers of the Geo-Jang Group against the illegal detention of Jang-Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman continued in Rawalpindi on Friday.

The journalists were determined for the cause of the freedom of the media and hoping to get justice from the Supreme Court of Pakistan for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. The demonstration of the journalists and workers of the Geo and Jang Group against illegal and unjust arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was joined by journalist organisations, representatives of the civil society and political workers and has been continuing for last 203 days. The protesters at the protest camp outside the offices of Jang and The News in Rawalpindi chanted slogans for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Addressing the protest camp, Chairman Joint Action Committee of workers of Geo-Jang Islamabad and President Jang Workers Union Rawalpindi Nasir Chisti said the determination of the journalists and workers of Geo and Jang showed that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman would be released soon.

Resident Editor Jang Rawalpindi Hanif Khalid said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman never made a compromise on his principled stance of freedom of media in the country.

Secretary General RIUJ and senior correspondent Geo News Islamabad Asif Ali Bhatti said the journalists and workers of the Geo-Jang Group were not only struggling for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman but also for the freedom of media in the country.

Chief Reporter Jang Rawalpindi Rana Ghulam Qadir said that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has now become a voice of the media for his principled stance for the freedom of the media.

The workers of Jang Group Amjad Abbassi, Malik Nusrat, Naseerul Haq, Abbas Alam, Munir Shah, Kamal Shah, Rahat Munir, Khalid Mehmood, Azhar Sultan, Aslam Butt, Athar Naqvi, Zulfiqar Ali Khan and others also spoke on the occasion.

In Lahore, journalists, civil society members, office-bearers of media unions and Jang Workers Union continued protesting against the illegal arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, who was in custody for the last 203 days.

Staging demonstration outside the Jang Offices Friday at the protest camp for 181st consecutive day, they criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for taking U-turn on his tall claims of over 20 years to turn Pakistan into a Madina-like state, alleging that he used the slogan only to woo media support to come to power. But they said, actually Imran had been victimising Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for exposing the corruption and bad governance of the PTI regime.

They lamented that editor-in-chief was detained despite no progress was made either in investigations into the corruption charges in a 34-year-old property exchange issue nor any formal case registered. The protesters termed it a blatant attack on media freedom and a conspiracy to close down country’s largest media group. They shouted slogans against the fascist government and condemned the anti-media tactics of the NAB.

They demanded the chief justice to take a suo motu notice against this gross injustice which was a direct attack on the freedom of expression and liberty of media. They demanded immediate release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and threatened to launch anti-government movement across the country if he was not released.

Jang Workers Union Secretary General Malik Farooq Awan, Pakistan Times News Editor Zaheer Anjum, senior journalists Muhammad Shafiq, Awais Qarni, Ayesha Akram, Aziz Sheikh, Munawwar Hussain, Shahid Aziz, Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Ali, Akmal Bhatti, Afzal Abbas, Mushtaq and Zahid Mehmood were prominent among the protesters.

Zaheer Anjum termed the PTI government as the worst kind of fascist and authoritarian regime bent upon gagging the voice of media to prevent exposure of its own corruption and bad governance. He warned other owners of the media houses were the next target after Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. He said choking the entire media would become an easy target for the PTI government and establishment when the top-ranking media house would either be closed down or badly reduced to size. He said media houses owners must realise that unless they empower their workers and professional journalists their own strength would be seriously curtailed, and they would become an easy prey for the establishment and ruling elite.

Muhammad Shafiq said media cannot work for the truth without freedom, as it played the role of watchdog for the society and country. He noted that such victimisations were forced by dictators like Gen Ayub Khan, Gen Zia, Gen Pervez Musharraf, in the past, and now media workers were being victimised by Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was selected by the establishment to curb media. He said the whole world knew the truth that Imran was selected in sham elections and was now proving that he was not the representative of the masses.

In Peshawar, the media workers on Friday continued the protest against the arrest of the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and renewed the demand for his immediate release.

They assembled outside the offices of Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV to protest the revengeful actions by the government against the Jang Media Group and arrest of its head. The protesters were holding banners and placards. They raised slogans against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and in support of the media freedom. The president of the Peshawar Press Club, Syed Bukhar Shah, led the protest. Syed Bukhar Shah, Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Sabz Ali Shah, Ihtesham Toru, Qaiser Khan, Amjad Safi, Rasool Dawar, Rizwan Sheikh Sardar Imdad Ali Qazalbash, and others spoke on the occasion. They slammed the PTI government for arresting Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on dubious charges in an effort to put pressure on the Jang Media Group which was known for promoting independent journalism in the country. The speakers lamented that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was arrested on March 12 and remained behind bars for the last 205 days.

They said the PTI government was practising an anti-media policy and the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was meant for gagging the free media.

The speakers criticized the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for going after only the opposition politicians and the independent media. They pointed out that the NAB was reluctant to move against the ruling party members allegedly involved in graft scandals. The speakers asked why the so-called anti-corruption watchdog had failed to take notice of the mega scandals such as wheat flour, sugar crises, Malam Jabba land, Billion Tree Tsunami and Bus Rapid Transit. They implored the Supreme Court of Pakistan to intervene in the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who had been interned for the last over six months.

In Bahawalpur, the Bahawalpur Union of Journalists and the press club members on Friday staged a demonstration against the arrest of Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

The protest rally was led by former VP of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and FEC member Muhammad Ameen Abbasi, Rasheed Hashmi and Asif Kabeer. The protesting journalists chanted slogans against the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and demanded his immediate release. They termed the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as an attack on freedom of press.