Journalists seek release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

PESHAWAR: The members of the journalist community on Saturday demanded the release of the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as they continued the protest against his arrest on Saturday. Carrying banners and placards, the protesters gathered outside the offices of the Daily Jang, The News and Geo TV to express their anger at the arrest. They chanted slogans against the incarceration of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and demanded his release without any delay. Arshad Aziz Malik, Nisar Mahmood, Qaisar Khan, Shakeel Farman Ali, Sabz Ali Shah, Farmanullah Jan, Amjad Safi, Ehtesham Toru, Gulzar Khan and others spoke on the occasion.

They flayed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for targeting the Jang Media Group and its chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman to pressure them.

The speakers deplored that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had been behind bars for the last 227 days on cooked-up charges in an old case. They said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB was biased and victimising the opposition political parties and the free media to appease the government. The speakers were critical of the NAB for remaining silent on the massive corruption scandals such as wheat flour, sugar, Malam Jabba land, Billion Tree Tsunami and Bus Rapid Transit Project because the PTI members were allegedly involved in these practices.

They implored the apex court to take notice of the case and provide justice to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who had been languishing in jail since March 12 of this year.