Media workers demand immediate release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

RAWALPINDI/LAHORE: The journalists and workers of Geo and Jang Group on Tuesday continued protests against the illegal and unjustified long incarceration of Editor-in-Chief of Geo and Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and demanded his immediate release.

The protestors said they are fighting the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman who believes in the freedom of media in the country.

The journalists and workers of Geo and Jang Group along with Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalist (RIUJ), cross section of civil society and political workers continued their protest outside the offices of the Jang and The News in Rawalpindi on Tuesday against the illegal and unjustified 235-days long incarceration of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman by chanting slogans and carrying banners.

Addressing the protest camp, Secretary General PFUJ Nasir Zaidi said Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is known in the world for his struggle for the freedom of the press in Pakistan. He said all the international journalist organisations and human rights organisations stand with the narrative of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Chairman Joint Action Committee of workers of Geo and Jang Group Islamabad and President Jang Workers Union Islamabad Nasir Chishti said media workers stand united to protect Geo and Jang Group against victimisation.

He said the movement of the workers of the Geo and Jang Group will continue till the release of the Editor-in-Chief.

Secretary General RIUJ Asif Ali Bhatti said the workers of Geo and Jang Group are bravely fighting the cause of freedom of media in the country and also against the injustice which was being done with Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. He said Geo and Jang Group give awareness of the constitutional rights to the people of Pakistan.

Chief Reporter Jang Rawalpindi Rana Ghulam Qadir said the fake and fabricated reference against the Editor-in-Chief is a tool to victimise him.

He said the struggle for the freedom of the media and release of the Editor-in-Chief will continue.

Journalists, civil society members, office bearers of media unions and trade union of Jang Group in Lahore also continued protests against the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

Staging demonstration outside the Jang offices, the protesters criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for backing out on his 20 years claims to turn Pakistan into a Madina-like state, alleging that he used the slogan only to hoodwink masses and win elections through media support. Imran Khan, they said, had been victimising Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for exposing the corruption and bad governance of the PTI regime. They said 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 country’s largest media group. They chanted slogans against the PTI regime and condemned using NAB for media’s arm twisting.

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

The participants in the protest included Secretary General Jang Works Union Malik Farooq Awan, News Editor of Pakistan Times Zaheer Anjum, civil society leader Abdullah Malik, senior journalists Awais Qarni, Sher Ali Khalti, Shafiq Ahmad, Munawwar Hussain, Ayesha Akram, Romeo Jalib, Aziz Sheikh, Shahid Aziz, Shamsi Baloch, Muhammad Akbar, Muhammad Ali, Akmal Bhatti, Afzal Abbas, Zahid Mehmood, Shahzad Rauf and others.