NAB denies medicines, food to Jang and Geo editor-in-chief

LAHORE: The NAB authorities, after arresting the Editor-in-Chief of Jang Group and Geo Network, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, on Thursday seized his three mobile phones and a bag containing personal documents, and also denied him medicines and food. 

After the editor-in-chief was taken into custody at a NAB office during a visit related to an ongoing investigation, the NAB officials asked for his vehicle to be brought inside the premises. 

When the driver parked his vehicle inside the compound and locked it, the officials forced him to unlock the car and took away three mobile phones and a bag containing the editor-in-chief's documents and other personal belongings.

When his family members tried to bring him essential medicines and food, the officials refused them entry and ordered them to go back.

The driver was also kept in illegal confinement for two hours at the NAB office before he was allowed to go.

Also read: NAB names Nawaz, Zardari, Gilani in Toshakhana reference

Arrest on concocted charges, Group says

NAB had on Thursday arrested the editor-in-chief of the Jang and Geo Media Group in connection with property allegedly bought illegally from a government entity more than 34 years ago.

The property was, in fact, bought from a private party 34 years ago and all evidence of this was given to NAB and legal requirements fulfilled, such as duty and taxes.

According to the Group's spokesperson, the editor-in-chief's appearance before NAB was in relation to a call-up notice for the verification of the complaint, yet an arrest was made. 

The Islamabad High Court's recent judgment against NAB's violation of the country’s law and a violation of NAB's own rules has been committed, the Group's spokesperson said.

Also read: Jang Group CEO Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman appears before NAB Lahore

"In the past 18 months, NAB has sent our reporters, producers, and editors — directly and indirectly — over a dozen notices, threatening a shutdown of our channels (via PEMRA) due to our reporting and our programmes on NAB," said the spokesperson.

"In its defense, NAB has in writing said it is a constitutionally protected institution that cannot be criticised. NAB has also, through several means, tried to persuade the group to step back, to stop stories, among other measures in its favor at the expense of the full truth.

"The Group will not stop any reporters, producers or anchors from any story that is on merit and at the same time will include NAB’s version. In this case, NAB denies all allegations above and claims they are independently pursuing all cases and have not been asked to do by the democratically elected government in Islamabad," the spokesperson added.

Originally published in The News