Case Update Status

On 1st Feb 2022, An Accountability Court acquitted Jang-Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and others in a 36-year-old private property case as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) failed to prove any of the charges of violation of laws, corrupt practices and loss to national exchequer.

Summary of Case

On March 12, 2020 The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), an anti-corruption body, arrested Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, editor-in-chief of Jang and Geo, Pakistan’s largest print and electronic media group on charges of securing illegal concessions in the purchase of plots for his house in 1986 in the city of Lahore. The media group claimed that Rehman’s arrest was in retaliation for their independent and sometimes critical coverage of NAB.

According to the Jang-Geo group, the property had been bought from a private party, and all evidence of legal requirements like duty and taxes was provided to the NAB. In a statement, the spokesperson of Jang-Geo group said that NAB sent their reporters, producers and editors over a dozen notices, threatening the shutdown of the group’s television station because of reporting about the NAB. The spokesman said NAB had through several means tried to persuade the media group to go easy on NAB. The spokesperson stressed that the media group “will not stop any reporters, producers or anchors from any story that is based on merit.”

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) condemn the arrest of the editor-in-chief of a media house while the cases was under inquiry. PBA said that this arrest appears to be an attempt of harassment for the media group’s editorial policy.

All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) strongly condemned Rehman’s arrest. It said that Rehman’s arrest was “a severe blow to freedom of the press and expression” and urged political, social and democratic forces in the country to raise their own voices to safeguard and protect freedom of the press and civil liberties.

Arif Nizami, president of the Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors, said that “the manner in which this arrest has taken place paints a bleak picture of the future of media freedom in the country.” The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) expressed concern that “there remains a strong suspicion that such actions by the NAB are selective, arbitrary and politically motivated.”

For its part, NAB denied all allegations and claimed that it is independently pursuing all cases and have not been asked to do so by the government. It added that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had illegally leased the land to Rehman in 1986.

An Accountability Court on Monday acquitted Jang-Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and others in a 36-year-old private property case as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) failed to prove any of the charges of violation of laws, corrupt practices and loss to national exchequer.

Category of Incident

Arrest

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions: 0202-Acts against liberty

ICCS Group: 02022-Deprivation of liberty

ICCS Class: N/A

ICCS Crime: Acts against liberty

Reported By

The News

Date of incident

12

Month

March

Year

2020

Name of affected person

Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

Other affected persons

No other person affcted

Name of affected organization

Jang Group

Other affected organizations

Geo TV

Action by

National Accountability Beareau (NAB)

City

Lahore

Province

Punjab

Designation

Editor in chief

Professional category

Journalist

Age of victim

63 years

Marital Status

Compensation Details

Amount of compensation announced by government: No compensation announced

Date of compensation announcement by government: No compensation announced

Date of compensation paid by government: No compensation announced

Amount of compensation announced by others: No compensation announced

Date of compensation announced by others: No compensation announced

Date compensation paid by others: No compensation announced

FIR Details

Was FIR registered ?: No

Court Details

Was case investigated ?: Under Investigation in ATC Lahore

Court where case was presented: Supereme Court

Name of prosecuting lawyer: N/A

Date of first court hearing: 13/03/2020

Date of last court hearing: 01/02/2022

Status of court case: Transferred to ATC, Under Investigation

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

PFUJ condemned

APNS

CPNE

PBA

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

N/A

Employer organization

N/A

Press Club Status

Press club 1: Karachi press club condemned

Press club 2:

Press club 3: