Journalist quits The Chenab Times, Turns to activism to seek release of MLA Mehraj Malik

October 16, 2025 by News Desk

Journalist and Marketing Editor of The Chenab Times, Raja Shakeel, has resigned from the news outlet to focus on activism, pledging support for detained Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik.

In a letter announcing his resignation, Shakeel said his decision marked “not a resignation, but a revolution,” adding, “For too long I’ve written about my people’s pain. Now, I want to fight for their justice and upliftment.”

Shakeel, a native of Joura Kalan in Doda, clarified he was not joining any political party but was inspired by Malik, whom he called “a true voice who never bows before adversity.” Malik, the lone AAP MLA from Jammu and Kashmir, has been detained under the Public Safety Act since last month.

Editor-in-Chief Anzer Ayoob accepted the resignation “with regret and respect,” praising Shakeel’s “sincerity, passion, and deep sense of purpose.”

“Your work reflected heart and honesty—you gave a voice to the unheard,” Ayoob wrote, wishing him success in his new path.

Known also as a poet and social worker, Shakeel has been vocal about grassroots issues in the Chenab Valley. “My voice will not fade,” he wrote, “it will echo louder, stronger, and bolder than ever before.”