Unidentified men throw bullets at Rawalpindi protest against MSR's arrest

RAWALPINDI: Unidentified persons in a speeding vehicle threw bullets at a camp set up here in the city on Monday to protest the illegal arrest of Jang Geo Media Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The miscreants arrived at the protest camp, set up outside Jang's Rawalpindi office, in a black double-cabin truck and threw more than half a dozen bullets in what is being seen as a veiled threat to the demonstrators.

The unidentified people then fled.

Employees and officials of The Jang Group, Geo News, and The News, as well as political workers and members of civil society, were present at the protest camp when the incident occurred.

The protesters consequently chanted against the incident, raising slogans such as "Laathi goli ki sarkar, na-manzoor, na-manzoor [We don't accept a state that uses batons and bullets]" and "Jang, Geo ko jeenay dou [Let Jang and Geo live]."

A media worker of the Jang Group, Amjad Ali Abbasi, strongly condemned the act of throwing bullets at the protest camp, while senior correspondent Farooq Aqdas said: "Even if they throw rifles at us, we, the journalists, will not be discouraged!"

Daily Jang Resident Editor Hanif Khalid warned those who shoot at peaceful people that "these lamps will not be blown out".

"Our protest is peaceful and the Chief Justice of Pakistan should take notice," Khalid added.

PML-N leader Imtiaz Taaji also addressed the protesters, saying victory was near when those who use cheap and below-the-belt tactics start making threats.

Muneer Shah, a member of the Joint Workers' Action Committee, said those who threw bullets at the protest camp "should know that we are fighting for the freedom of the press".

"The CJP should do justice to MSR because a fake case has been created against him," Shah added. "If voices are not raised against these tactics, then no citizen will be able to live respectfully.

"If there's any proof against MSR, why has it not been produced yet?" he asked.