Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman
Mir Shakil ur Rehman (born January 8, 1957) also known as MSR is a Pakistani media tycoon, industrialist and businessman. He is the owner/editor-in-chief and chief executive officer of the Jang Group, publishes of the daily Jang, The News International, weekly Akhbar-e-Jehan & Mag, Daily News, daily Awam , daily Awaz , daily The Pakistan Times etc. He also owns the famous Geo TV and FM-101 channels. He is the son of Mir Khalil ur Rehman who made his journey from rages in the 1940s and reached richness in the 1960s.
Mir Shakil was born in Karachi and got his education there. Despite being a wealthy person, he didn't get higher education and just did his graduation from Karachi. He is married and has two wives, which is legally allowed in Pakistan. His actively involvement in business started in the 1980s, when he started the daily Jang's Lahore edition. He is considered the smartest and most claver person in the socio-political and economical scenario of Pakistan.
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Pakistan’s leading media tycoon
It is estimated the 80 percent of newspaper readers read Mir Shakil ur Rahman’s publications and a majority of the public watches his TV and radio channels. Thus he is thought to be the strongest person in Pakistan. He is said to be the wealthiest and most influential person in the country as well. Once he reportedly claimed, “I’m the evergreen ruler of Pakistan—I can bring down a government and form a new one!”
In 1998 the Pakistani government of prime minister Nawaz Sharif took action against Mir Shakil on charges of tax theft but soon it refrained from its position. Conspiracy theorists believe that Mir Shakil’s Jang Group has also a rule I the removal of the Nawaz government in the very next year, 1999.
Accusations and controversies
There have been a number of accusations and controversies about Mir Shakil and his Jang Group:
- Mir Shakil’s Jang Group is accused by journalists and many other groups of being "the mouthpiece of the existing government" and promoter of self-censorship journalism in Pakistan. Professional journalists in the country also accuse Mir Shakil for destroying the much respected institution of the 'editorship' in the newspaper industry-- After the death of his father he is reportedly hiring incompetent and flattering people as the so called 'chairman editorial committee' not on professional and intellectual but on on political basis.
- He is the president of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society or (APNS ), an influential body of all newspapers' owners in Pakistan. Therefore he is not only accused of denying the rights of his hundreds of thousands employees across the country but also thought to be the biggest hurdle in the implementation of the Wage Board Award of newspaper employees in the country.
- Some business groups accuse him of blackmailing—they say if Jang Group is not given advertisement, it gives news reports against those uncooperative parties.
- Tax theft and many other corruption charges are labeled against Mir and his business empire. In 1999 the then Pakistani government officials announced that Jang Group owes customs duties on previous shipments of newsprint amounting to 1.6 billion rupees (US$31.4 million). The government also accused the group tax evasion of more than 2 billion rupees (US$40 million).
- Some conservative Pakistanis believe that Mir Shakil is an ‘agent of the West’ and a promoter of Westernization.
- He has many cases in the courts of the country in family feuds on the ownership of many of the business units.
- He is believed to be the owner of many unknown inland and offshore companies and has accused of undeclared assets around the globe.
- Mir Shakil is known as a 'dictator' in his approach and thought by his family members and employees.
Low profile
Media analysts say that Mir Shakil always plays from behind the scene. He very rarely publishes his own activities as news or feature items. No one in the country can dare to publish or telecast something about him-- He is very choosy about other persons as well. He very rarely goes to the public meetings and is not a social animal rather a ‘moneymaker’ in each and every situation. His late father recognized his intelligence and therefore he succeeded him after his death in 1992. Amazingly he prefers the projection of his elder son, Mir Ibrahim Rahman known as MIR, (CEO of GEO TV), to some extent in the media. Among Mir Shakil's employees are the best people available in Pakistan. His business is spreading around the world by leaps and bounds.
Peace & business with India
Mir Shakil is trying his best to bring peace in the South Asian region, especially between Pakistan and India. During a business tour of India, he said, "India’s positive image due to its films, TV--Musharraf has opened up business opportunities, media; Indo-Pak film-makers must not demonise RAW, ISI; Yash Chopra’s brand means wholesome entertainment..." [1]
Also see
External Links
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