To create awareness among the people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas about the social issues and highlight development activities in these areas, Radio Pakistan is launching new programmes from tomorrow (Monday). Under the new initiative, a new module titled ‘FATA News’ will be introduced in 9 PM Radio Khabarnama to give maximum coverage to the far-flung areas of the tribal areas.
Two special Pashto bulletins, one each in the morning and in the evening, will be broadcast as FATA news, from Radio Pakistan Peshawar on medium wave transmitter. PBC Peshawar will also allocate one hour each in the morning and in the evening for the programme especially designed for FATA. National Broadcasting Service, the Current Affairs Channel of Radio Pakistan, will start a daily programme in Urdu for FATA. Apna Pakistan programme, an entertainment of popular repute on the national network, will also incorporate FATA.
Radio Pakistan, with the help of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa governor, is also planning to set up eight FM stations in the tribal areas to create awareness among the people about the government’s initiatives launched for their empowerment. These stations will help bring about a change in the minds of the natives regarding religious extremism besides disseminating information about the geo-political changes taking place in the world, particularly in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
They will also promote harmony and cohesion among the tribal people through community-based FM services and bring them into the national mainstream. These FM stations will be located in Wana and Jandola in South Waziristan, Miranshah and Razmak in North Waziristan, Parachinar in Kurram Agency, Mandan in Orakzai Agency, Landi Kotel in Khyber Agency and Khar in Bajaur Agency.
