Protest for Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s release continues

LAHORE/PESHAWAR/KARACHI: Journalists, civil society members, office-bearers of media unions and trade union of Jang Group on Saturday continued their protest against the arrest of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for the 210th consecutive day. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has been detained for 232 days under the NAB custody over a 35-year-old property exchange matter without giving any proof of charges or making any progress in investigations.

Staging a demonstration outside Jang offices, the protesters criticized Prime Minister Imran Khan for backing out on his 20-year claim to turn Pakistan into a Madina-like state, alleging that he used the slogan only to hoodwink people and win elections through media support.

Imran Khan, they said, has been victimizing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for exposing the corruption. They lamented that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was detained despite the fact that no progress was made either in investigations into the corruption charges of 35 years old property exchange case nor any formal case was registered. The participants termed it a blatant attack on media freedom and a conspiracy to close down the country’s largest media group. They demanded that the chief justice of Pakistan take a suo motu action against this gross injustice which is a direct attack on freedom of expression and liberty of media. They demanded immediate release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and threatened to launch an anti-govt movement across the country if he is not released.

The media workers in Peshawar continued protest against the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and demanded his release.

Supreme Court Bar Association newly-elected President Abdul Latif Afridi, joined the protest to express solidarity with the Jang Group. Afridi and others slammed the PTI government for victimising the Jang Group and Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. In Karachi, the political leaders and journalists participated in the hunger strike camp organised by the Jang Geo Action Committee for the release of Editor-in-Chief of Jang-Geo Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on Saturday outside Jang-Geo offices.