Journalists seek release of Editor-in-Chief

PESHAWAR: Journalists on Thursday demanded the release of Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as they continued the protest against his arrest.

A senior journalist and President of the Peshawar Press Club, Syed Bukhar Shah, led the protest which was staged outside the offices of Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV. The protesters had banners and placards and sought the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who had been arrested on March 12, this year in a false case.

Syed Bukhar Shah, Arshad Aziz Malik, Shakeel Farman Ali, Farmanullah Jan, Amjad Safi, Rasool Dawar, Sabz Ali Shah, Imdad Ali Qazalbash, Gulzar Khan, Khalid Kheshgi and others spoke on the occasion. The speakers flayed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government for victimizing the Jang Media Group by arresting Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who headed this largest media house of the country.

The speakers expressed concern over the fact that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been detained for the last 211 days in a case which was over three decades old and had no substance. They came down hard on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for targeting the opposition political parties and the independent media. The speakers deplored that the NAB was going aggressively after the opposition political parties but was silent over massive corruption committed allegedly by those in the ruling party.

They pointed to the wheat flour, sugar, Malam Jabba land, Billion Tree Tsunami and Bus Rapid Transit Project scandals in support of their point. The protesters appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who was going to complete almost seven months in detention.