LAHORE: Journalists, 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 Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman under the NAB custody in a politically-motivated case for the last 161 days without finding any proof of their charges or making any progress in investigations. Staging a demonstration outside the Jang offices at a protest camp of the workers of Geo, Jang and The News employees for the 139th 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 said there was neither any progress in investigations into the corruption charges of a 35 years old property exchange case against him nor any formal case was registered. The participants termed it a blatant attack on media freedom, chanted slogans against the ‘fascist PTI regime’ and condemned the illegal and anti-media tactics of the NAB.
Those who participated in the protest included Secretary General of Jang Workers Union Farooq Malik, News Editor of Pakistan Times Zaheer Anjum, Awais Qarni, Sher Ali Khalti and others.
Zaheer Anjum termed the PTI government as the worst fascist and authoritarian regime bent upon gagging media to prevent exposure of its own corruption and bad governance. He said choking the entire media would become an easy target for the PTI government and the establishment when the top-ranking media houses would either be closed down or badly reduced to size.
Farooq Malik said Rahman’s victimization must come to an end as he has completed over five months in detention, and he should be released as his arrest is a symbolic move to usurp media freedom. He said the journalists would continue to struggle for justice and release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, adding that when the journalists waged a struggle for freedom of expression, they always succeeded and dictators in the past had to bite the dust.
Sher Ali said the Jang Group always reported the truth. The PTI government is using all pressure tactics to subdue the press and the Jang Group is bearing the brunt being the largest media house in the country.
"Demo" - Google News
August 23, 2020 at 07:55AM
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Demo for Mir Shakil-ur-Rahmans release staged - The News International
"Demo" - Google News
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