LONDON: Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons and
Labour politician Afzal Khan MP has called on Prime Minister Imran Khan to
explain why Geo and Jang Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has been denied
basic human rights as a Pakistani while being in custody after arrested by
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a 34 years old private land buying case.
In a letter sent to the prime minister, the Manchester
Gorton has drawn PM Imran Khan’s attention towards the fact that Mir
Shakil-ur-Rahman has been in detention for six weeks in a private land purchase
case – a deal which occurred nearly four decades ago.
Afzal Khan MP wrote: “It is my understanding that he (Mir
Shakil-ur-Rahman) is currently detained over allegations which occurred over
thirty years ago. He is also being put before the National Accountability
Bureau and not being tried in an ordinary court. As a former lawyer I find this
decision problematic, as I believe that everyone has the right to a fair trial.
Whilst I fully respect the Pakistani judicial system, I hope Mr Rahman can be
granted his basic right to a fair and free trial.”
The Labour MP, who has served in senior positions in the
Shadow Labour cabinet and was recently promoted as Shadow Deputy Leader of the
House of Commons under new Labour leader Keir Starmer, said that it was clear
from the facts of the case that Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan’s largest media
group had been denied fundamental human rights in violation of NAB’s own laws
on making arrests and investigations.
Afzal Khan MP has told the PM that his several constituents
had raised the issue of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s arrest with him, requesting him
to raise it with the Pakistani government.
Afzal Khan added: “His detention has been challenged by
politicians, journalists, lawyers, and human rights bodies across Pakistan and
the globe. As the Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pakistan,
I would be obliged if you could look into this matter further and provide any
development on his case.”
Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s arrest has drawn worldwide
condemnation from media organisations to human rights groups and journalist organisations.
His arrest has been widely criticised by journalist groups as an attempt to
muzzle independent news reporting in Pakistan by the government in
collaboration with the NAB authorities.
New York Times said in a report that Geo and Jang’s reporting
has been disliked by almost every ruler but the ruling party has shown
particular impatience with its coverage and vowed to go after Mir
Shakil-ur-Rahman they came in power.
“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,” said
Steven Butler, Asia Programme Coordinator for the Committee to Protect
Journalists.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent
group, has called the case “another attempt to gag a beleaguered independent
press.”
Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman has denied allegations that he used
political influence to obtain a Lahore property from a private party.
Opposition in Pakistan has accused NAB of working at the behest of Imran Khan’s
government to make cooked up cases against the people the PM doesn’t like. The
governments in Britain, Europe and America have also condemned Mir
Shakil-ur-Rahman’s arrest and the draconian methods used to silence Jang and
Geo by the government.
Newspaper: The
News
