RAWALPINDI/LAHORE/KARACHI: Journalists and workers of the Geo and Jang Group continued their countrywide protest on Friday against illegal, unjustified and prolonged incarceration of Editor-in-Chief Geo and Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and said he raised the flag of independent journalism while facing the oppression of the rulers with patience but never bowed.
The protest by journalists and workers of Geo and Jang group along with the journalist organizations, cross section of civil societies and political workers continued for 238 days on Friday outside the offices of Jang and The News in Rawalpindi. The protesters chanted slogans and held the placards for the release of Editor-in-Chief Geo and Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
The protest demonstration was addressed by Chairman Joint Action Committee of workers of Geo and Jang Group Islamabad and President and Jang Workers Union Rawalpindi Nasir Chisti, Resident Editor Jang Rawalpindi Hanif Khalid, Secretary-General Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists Asif Ali Bhatti, Chief Reporter Jang Rawalpindi Rana Ghulam Qadir, Amjad Abbasi, Munir Shah, Malik Nusrat, Kamal Shah, Naseerul Haq, Azhar Sulatn, Aslam Butt, Athar Naqvi and other social and political workers besides the workers of Jang and The News. They demanded the release of Editor-in-Chief of Geo and Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and vowed to continue their struggle till his release. Addressing the protest camp in Rawalpindi, the speakers said that the unity of the workers of Geo and Jang Group with their Editor-in-Chief showed all that workers had full faith in Editor-in-Chief Geo and Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
They said the peaceful demonstration of the workers of Geo and Jang Group against the illegal and unjustified detention of Editor-in-Chief Geo and Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman demonstrated that Geo and Jang Group always believed in independent journalism.
They said the rulers had failed to suppress the free voices of freedom of media in the country.
They said they had high hopes that the Supreme Court would dispense justice.
In Lahore, the protest by journalists, civil society members, office-bearers of media unions and trade union of Jang group against the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Editor-in-Chief of country’s Jang Group and Geo TV, continued on Friday for the 216th consecutive day.
Mir Shakil has been in NAB custody for the last 238 days over a 35-year old property exchange matter.
Staging a demonstration outside the 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 th masses and win elections. Imran Khan, they said, has been victimizing Mir Shakilur Rehman for exposing the corruption and bad governance of the PTI regime.
They termed it a blatant attack on media freedom and a conspiracy to close down thr country’s largest media group. They chanted slogans against the fascist PTI regime and condemned use of the NAB for media’s arm twisting.
They demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan take a suo motu notice of this gross injustice which was a direct attack on the freedom of expression and liberty of media. They demanded immediate release of Mir Shakilur Rehman and threatened to launch an anti-government movement across the country if he was not released.
IN Karachi, Lyari’s social activist Rab Nawaz on Friday said that people were not getting justice in the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the long detention of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman without any charge was a stark reminder of it.
He was speaking to the protest for the release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. He said that the Jang-Geo Group had always supported the oppressed sections of the society, regardless of what the consequences could be.
He denounced the vengeful campaign of the government against the Jang-Geo Group and demanded its immediate withdrawal. He said that the news group was being targeted for its independent editorial policies.
He said that PM Imran’s policies had made the lives of poor people miserable as they were struggling to make both ends meet. He added his own son was also missing but the police were not taking action to recover him.
Others who spoke at the demonstration included Voice of Karachi Chairperson Sumbal Rani, All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation’s secretary general Shakil Yamin Kanga, Karachi Union of Journalists’ general secretary Fahim Siddiqui, The News Employees Union’s general secretary Dara Zafar and Javed Press Employees Union’s general secretary Rana Yusuf.
