Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, in short MSR, (born 8 January 1957) is a Pakistani
media mogul
A media proprietor, media mogul or media tycoon refers to a entrepreneur who controls, through personal ownership or via a dominant position in any media-related company or enterprise, media consumed by many individuals. Those with significant co ...
Geo TV
Geo Television Network is a television channel based in Pakistan. It was established in May 2002 and is owned by the Jang Media Group. The channel began its test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning on 1 October 2 ...
''.
In addition, he is the owner of the
Jang Group of Newspapers
Jang Media Group (), also known as Geo Group, is a Pakistani media conglomerate and a subsidiary of Dubai-based company Independent Media Corporation. Its headquarters is in Printing House, Karachi, Pakistan. It is Pakistan's largest group of new ...
and
the News International
''The News International'', published in broadsheet size, is one of the largest English language newspapers in Pakistan. It is published daily from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad. An overseas edition is published from London that cater ...
, that was started by his father
Mir Khalil ur Rehman
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman (1927 – 25 January 1992) was the founder and editor of the Jang Group of Newspapers which currently publishes many Urdu and English newspapers in Pakistan. A self-made newspaper magnate, he ranks among the most successful ...
and part owner of the
Independent Media Corporation
Jang Media Group (), also known as Geo Group, is a Pakistani media conglomerate and a subsidiary of Dubai-based company Independent Media Corporation. Its headquarters is in Printing House, Karachi, Pakistan. It is Pakistan's largest group of new ...
. This media group publishes a number of newspapers and magazines in
Geo TV
Geo Television Network is a television channel based in Pakistan. It was established in May 2002 and is owned by the Jang Media Group. The channel began its test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning on 1 October 2 ...
network.
Early life
He was born to a Kashmiri family. His father
Mir Khalil ur Rehman
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman (1927 – 25 January 1992) was the founder and editor of the Jang Group of Newspapers which currently publishes many Urdu and English newspapers in Pakistan. A self-made newspaper magnate, he ranks among the most successful ...
founded ''Jang Group''. Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman attended
St Patrick's High School, Karachi
, motto_translation = Through hardships to the stars
, location = Saddar Town, Sindh
, city = Karachi
, province =
, country = Pakistan
, coordinates =
, established =
, foun ...
and is listed among the famous personalities of Pakistan that attended this high school.
Career
In the late 1990s, during
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu, Punjabi language, Punjabi: ; born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani businessman and politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. He is the longest-serving prime ...
's second term as Prime Minister, Shakil was first asked by Sharif's government to dismiss some of the staff members of the
Jang Group
Jang Media Group (), also known as Geo Group, is a Pakistani media conglomerate and a subsidiary of Dubai-based company Independent Media Corporation. Its headquarters is in Printing House, Karachi, Pakistan. It is Pakistan's largest group of new ...
.
Keeping in line with the tradition of the media group that was founded by Mir Shakil's father,
Mir Khalil ur Rehman
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman (1927 – 25 January 1992) was the founder and editor of the Jang Group of Newspapers which currently publishes many Urdu and English newspapers in Pakistan. A self-made newspaper magnate, he ranks among the most successful ...
, Shakil refused to dismiss the staff, a number of tax evasion cases were filed against his news group amounting to 40 million US dollars, followed by freezing of bank accounts and seizure of their assets. The government withdrew their court cases after some facts were made public by Shakil.
Shakil founded
Geo TV
Geo Television Network is a television channel based in Pakistan. It was established in May 2002 and is owned by the Jang Media Group. The channel began its test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning on 1 October 2 ...
in May 2002. Shakil established a television channel network by the name of
Geo TV
Geo Television Network is a television channel based in Pakistan. It was established in May 2002 and is owned by the Jang Media Group. The channel began its test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning on 1 October 2 ...
in May 2002.
He was arrested by the NAB on 12 March 2020 on the allegations of getting 52 kanal land in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
Mir Shakil ur Rahman has also served as president of
All Pakistan Newspapers Society
All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) is an organization of major Pakistani newspapers, their publishers, companies, and corporations. It includes the Jang Group of Newspapers, Dawn Group of Newspapers, and Nawa-i-Waqt Group of Newspapers.
...
in 2006. He remained a convener of the 'Wage Board Committee' of the society in 2010. He was the president of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors in 1995–96 and again in 2003–04 and also the president of ''
Pakistan Broadcasters Association
Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) (); is a private association of television and radio broadcasters in Pakistan. It was established on September 23, 2005 at a meeting in Karachi. Mir Shakil ur Rehman, founder of the association, was elect ...
'' (PBA) in 2005. Shakil served as a member of the Press Council of Pakistan in 2013. He owns multiple media outlets such as Jang News, Geo News TV channel, The News, and others.
He is the youngest son of late
Mir Khalil ur Rehman
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman (1927 – 25 January 1992) was the founder and editor of the Jang Group of Newspapers which currently publishes many Urdu and English newspapers in Pakistan. A self-made newspaper magnate, he ranks among the most successful ...
(1927–1992) who was the founder and editor of the Jang newspaper.