- Ahsan Iqbal says state media will have to adapt to latest technology
- Thanks Japanese govt for support to rehabilitate Radio Pakistan’s medium-wave network
Radio Pakistan has formally launched programmes from its new medium-wave digital transmitter set up with the technical and financial assistance of Japan.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid and Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata jointly inaugurated the newly-installed medium-wave transmitter of 500 kilowatts power in Islamabad.
Addressing the ceremony, Iqbal thanked the Japanese government for their support for the rehabilitation of Radio Pakistan’s medium-wave network. He said this token of goodwill from Japan will be remembered as the airwaves from this network continue to reach the listeners.
“Due to technological development, access to information has become very easy. Keeping in view the changing trends, state-owned media institutions will have to bring in excellence in their work and adapt to latest technology to compete in the market,” he said.
Iqbal said the government is working to modernise the state-owned media outlets through technological adoption and capacity-building of human resource.
Turning to the economic situation, the minister said, “Political stability is essential to put the country on the path of sustainable development. Negative politics will not alleviate poverty and unemployment.”
He said the calls of shutting down Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad, which are the export hubs of Pakistan, will have an adverse impact on the economy.
Speaking on the occasion, the Japanese diplomat said that radio is still a major source of information, particularly in remote areas. He noted that rehabilitation of medium-wave network will enable Radio Pakistan to reach out to maximum people in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He expressed the confidence that better access to information on issues of health, nutrition, economic activities and natural disasters will improve people’s lives and thereby contribute to the country’s stability.
In his remarks, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Mitsuyoshi Kawasaki said, “JICA is looking forward to close coordination with Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) for dissemination of knowledge for livelihood improvement and increased awareness in KP.”
In her welcome address, Radio Pakistan Director General Samina Pervaiz briefed the audience about the project, adding that “the project has been completed in the given timeframe”.
She said that 14-hour transmission will be broadcast from the new transmitter in Urdu and six regional languages, adding that this project “will have long lasting impact on PBC’s broadcasts and help achieve the objective of national integration through wider reach to the people”.
The 14-hour daily transmission in Urdu, Punjabi, Potohari, Hindko, Pushto, Shina and Balti would be broadcasted to reach areas in a radius of 500 kilometres.
The transmitter has replaced 38-year-old medium wave-transmitter.
Earlier, the planning and information ministers visited the renovated Master Control Room of the PBC where they were briefed about the digital equipment installed at the control room.
