Demo for Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s unencumber continues

LAHORE: Senior newshounds, civil society leaders, office-bearers of media unions and trade union of Jang Group on Saturday accused the PTI government of undermining the media freedom through detaining Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman below the NAB custody in a politically-motivated case for the closing 168 days without finding any evidence in their charges or making any growth in investigations.

Staging a demonstration outside Jang places of work on Saturday at a protest camp of the workers of Geo, Jang and The News employees for the 146th consecutive day, they lamented that Prime Minister Imran Khan, who came into power, claiming to make Pakistan a Madina-like state, has been victimizing Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for exposing the corruption and bad governance of the PTI government. They mentioned there was neither any progress in investigations into the corruption fees of a 35 years outdated belongings alternate case towards him nor any formal case was registered. The members termed it a blatant attack on media freedom, chanted slogans against the fascist PTI authorities and condemned the illegal and anti-media tactics of the NAB.

They demanded that the executive justice of Pakistan take a suo motu motion against this gross injustice towards Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s illegal arrest which is an immediate attack at the freedom of expression and liberty of media. They vowed to proceed struggle for Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman's liberate until his freedom and warned PM Imran Khan to reign in the NAB from further victimization of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. They demanded speedy unlock of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and warned that any direct action might be taken towards the PTI authorities to deter it from dictatorial policies to curb freedom of expression and drive economic murder of media workers for long. They threatened to release an anti-government movement across the nation if he isn't launched.

Those who participated within the protest included Secretary General of Jang Workers Union Farooq Malik, News Editor of Pakistan Times Zaheer Anjum, Shahab Ansari, Awais Qarni, Mrs Aisha, Shafiq Ahmad, Aziz Sheikh, Munawwar Hussain, Shahid Aziz, Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Ali, Hafiz Asad, Akmal Bhatti, Afzal Abbas, Mushtaq and others. They announced that the protest would not be held on Sunday (Yaum-e-Ashur) to express cohesion with the martyrs of Karbala, and would resume it from Monday.

Zaheer Anjum termed the PTI government the worst kind of fascist and authoritarian regime bent upon gagging the voice of media to stop publicity of its own corruption and bad governance. He warned that the house owners of alternative media properties are the following target as Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is the first casualty in the PTI government’s stifling media policy. He mentioned choking all of the media would develop into an easy goal for the PTI authorities and established order when the top-ranking media space would both be closed down or badly diminished to measurement. He said media owners must understand that except they empower their staff and professional newshounds, their own energy can be severely curtailed and they might develop into a very easy prey for the established order and ruling elite. He mentioned the case of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman must serve as an eye-opener for all media owners.

Shafiq Ahmad stated media can not paintings for the reality without freedom because it performs the position of a watchdog for the society and country. He noted that such victimizations were pressured by way of dictators like Gen Ayub Khan, Gen Ziaul Haq, Gen Pervez Musharraf in the past, and now media employees are being victimized by way of Imran Khan who was once selected by the establishment to curb media. He stated the entire international knew the fact that Imran Khan was selected in sham elections and is now proving that he's not the representative of the masses and democracy.

Farooq Malik stated victimization of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman will have to come to an finish after the detention of over five months, and he should be launched as his arrest is a symbolic transfer to usurp media freedom. Already the consequences desired through the rulers are coming out and the arrest is leading against crumbling of alternative media houses and closure of famous information channels and retrenchment of staff in others lately. He mentioned reporters would continue fight for justice and unlock of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, adding that when reporters waged combat for freedom of expression, they always succeeded and many dictators in the past had to chew the mud.