Image courtesy of GEO TV
Pakistan’s federal anti-graft bureau has arrested a media mogul on corruption charges Thursday, in a 34 years old private property purchase case.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman – head of the Jang media empire and editor-in-chief the Jang Group – which also owns Geo TV network – over a land transaction dating back to 1986, accusing him of securing illegal concessions in the purchase of plots in eastern city of Lahore.
Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman was arrested when he appeared before NAB, for the second time, to present documents supporting his claim of the deal being legal.
On March 5, Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman had been questioned by NAB for two hours.
The arrest gave rise to debates in the media, with several journalists and rights activists calling it a setback to freedom of expression.
A spokesperson for NAB defended the arrest, saying Rehman was arrested after failing to provide satisfactory answers to the questions put to him. He will be presented in a court on Friday and a 14-day physical remand would be sought, the statement concluded.
The 54 kanal land in question is in Lahore s Johar Town area and was allotted during former Prime Minister(then Chief Minister) Nawaz Sharif’s tenure.
However, Geo/ Jang group has denied the allegations against Rehman, saying all taxes and legal requirements pertaining to the property purchase had been fulfilled.
In a statement , the group said the NAB only arrested Rehman because of investigative pieces his channels had conducted into the bureau.
Over the past 18 months the NAB has “sent our reporters, producers and editors – directly and indirectly – over a dozen threatening notices,” the statement read, adding that the bureau had said it would shut down “our channels… due to our reporting and our programs about NAB”.
“In its defense, NAB has in writing said it is a constitutionally protected institution that can’t be criticized,” the statement continued.
Meanwhile, President CPNE (Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors) Arif Nizami, a leading journalist, has expressed dismay and concern over the arrest of Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman.
“For the NAB to arrest Mr Rahman 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,” CPNE President said in a statement.
“In a media environment where there is rampant self-censorship fueled by the threat of advertisement curtailment coupled with broadcast and circulation disruption, this arrest will be viewed as an extension to the government’s regressive and unconstitutional media policy,” he said.
“While it is up to the courts to decide on the merits of the case, the manner in which this arrest has taken place paints a bleak picture of the future of media freedom in the country,” he added.
