Int'l media watchdog calls for 'immediate release' of Jang Geo Media Group Editor-in-Chief
It said NAB's move — on 'spurious grounds' — was 'clearly designed to intimidate the group’s journalists'
March 13, 2020
The international media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on Friday called for the immediate release of Editor-in-Chief of the Jang Geo Media Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, who was arrested by the NAB a day prior in relation to a property he had purchased from a private party 34 years ago.
The RSF said the Pakistani anti-graft body's move — on "spurious grounds" — was "clearly designed to intimidate the group’s journalists" and that it was "not the first time that the NAB has revived this 34-year-old allegation and, at an earlier hearing on 5 March, Rahman already produced all the documents showing that the land was bought in a perfectly legal manner from a private third party".
Consequent to the arrest, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific group, Daniel Bastard, said: "Let’s not be fooled, Shakilur Rahman’s arrest has no legal basis and is clearly an act of harassment designed to bring the Jang media group into line.
"We call for his immediate release. The Pakistani authorities are displaying appalling creativity in their attempts to intimidate journalists who try to work in a completely independent manner," Bastard added.
Also read: Editor-in-chief of largest media group in Pakistan arrested by NAB in fake case
The RSF noted that the Jang Geo Media Group "has long been targeted by the authorities because its journalists don’t content themselves with reproducing the government’s anodyne statements and promises".
The international media watchdog further explained how "Pakistani authorities have made every effort in the past to restrict what the Jang group’s media outlets publish".
"In July 2019, for example, a Geo News current affairs programme was disconnected in mid-broadcast during an interview with former President Asif Ali Zardari.
Related: Cable operators directed to shut down Geo TV or shift to last numbers
"In 2018, transmission of Geo News and all of the four other Geo TV channels was suspended for several days throughout at least 80% of the country in an apparent reprisal for its overly independent news coverage. No official suspension order ever emerged […]. In 2014, Geo News was subjected to a campaign of intimidation," it added.
Following MSR's arrest late Thursday, a spokesperson for the Jang Geo Media Group had said: "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.
Read more: Former prime ministers raise arrest of Jang Group editor-in-chief in NA
"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 had added.
Pakistan currently ranks at the lower end of the RSF’s 2019 World Press Freedom Index — at 142 out of 180 countries.
Related:
How Jang Geo Media Group owner refused to come under pressure before arrest
Rights bodies, journalists, artists slam arrest of Jang Geo Media Group owner
NAB given 12-day remand of Jang Geo Media Group editor-in-chief in fake case
