Politicians, rights bodies, media groups slam arrest of Jang-Geo Editor-in-Chief

KARACHI: The arrest of Jang Geo Media Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman (MSR) by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a 34-year-old property case continues to be roundly condemned by politicians, journalists, lawyers, and human rights bodies across the country and worldwide.

Here is a roundup of everyone who has spoken up against the arrest of MSR so far and demanded his immediate release. The condemnations have also poured in from abroad, with several international rights bodies, as well as political leaders, urging the government release MSR.

Senior politicians from across the spectrum, journalists from major media outlets and other notables spoken out in in favour of the veteran journalist, who, local and international watchdogs have said, is being victimised for speaking truth to power.

Celebrity barrister Amal Clooney’s law firm, Doughty Street Chambers, has also filed a complaint at the United Nations (UN) against the "politically-motivated and arbitrary arrest" of MSR by the National Accountability Bureau. 

This week, world renowned rights activist and academic Noam Chomsky joined the growing number of voices condemning MSR's arrest. 

The respected thinker and activist lent his support to a statement calling for the fair treatment of the senior-most journalist of Pakistan's largest media group and condemning the arbitrary nature of his arrest and more than month-long detention.

Political leaders across the spectrum condemn arbitrary detention

Leaders from several political parties have condemned the arbitrary detention of MSR and demanded that the government ensure his immediate release from NAB custody. 

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has spoken out against the arrest, saying that it seems the government is afraid of the truth. "This government is afraid of the truth and what that will entail, that is why it is persecuting journalists," she said in a statement last month. 

PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has also condemned the arrest of MSR, and the spokesperson of his party had last month affirmed that the PPP would become a party to the case in which MSR had been detained. "MSR should be given his freedom," Bilawal said in a message last month.

PTI leader and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that the arrest of MSR seems like an over-reach of NAB powers. "There is a need to review the arrest powers that have been granted to the accountbailtiy bureau," he said last month.

Federal Minister For Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi has also slammed the arrest of MSR. "Arrests should only be made when the law enforcement authorities have the evidence," Zaidi said. MQM-P leaders Amir Khan and Faisal Sabzwari have expressed concerns over the arrest as well. 

Two former prime ministers, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Raja Pervez Ashraf, had last month called for the immediate release of MSR saying that the government was trying to muzzle the freedom of the press.

Rights bodies slam arrest of MSR

“Pakistani authorities should immediately release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, editor-in-chief of the Jang Media Group, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a statement last month.

“Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau should immediately release Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and drop the obviously drummed-up case against him,” said Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator. “This arrest over a 34-year-old land deal makes a mockery of Pakistan’s claim to be a democracy that upholds freedom of the press.”

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has also expressed grave concern over the arrest of the Jang/Geo Group editor-in-chief and demanded his immediate release. 

“It is clear that Shakilur #Rahman's arrest has absolutely no legal ground, and is rather an act of harassment against all #JangGroup journalists because they refuse to toe the gvt's line. @RSF_inter calls for his immediate release!” it said in a Tweet.

Media groups call for release of MSR

All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) last month also strongly condemned the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman by the NAB. Hameed Haroon, President, and Sarmad Ali, Secretary General, APNS, stated that the arrest of the editor-in-chief of the leading media house was a clear indication that the present government has moved forward in its attempt to silence the independent media in the country.

The Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) President Arif Nizami has expressed grave concern over the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. “For the NAB to arrest the Editor-in-Chief at this initial stage of the investigation is uncalled for and is another example of what the Islamabad High Court observed last week about NAB’s practice of arresting individuals without enough proof only to cause harm to their reputations,” Nizami stated in a press release.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) expressed deep concern at the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman by NAB. It said there remains a strong suspicion that such actions by NAB are selective, arbitrary and politically motivated. In a joint statement by President PFUJ Shehzada Zulfiqar and Secretary General Nasir Zaidi called for immediate release of MSR.

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) also strongly condemned the arrest. RIUJ President Amir Sajjad Sayed and General Secretary Asif Ali Bhatti termed the arrest an open attack on freedom of journalism. The Karachi Press Club termed the arrest unwarranted since MSR was arrested by NAB in a case prematurely.

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), while strongly condemning the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, said Jang Group is one of the oldest and largest media houses in the country. It said arresting the editor-in-chief of a media house, while the case is still under inquiry and on a call-up notice, appears to be an attempt of harassment of the media group.