On March 26, the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) issued a stay order against the Anti-Terrorism Court-III (ATC) in Peshawar from proceedings of the May 2023 attack on Radio Pakistan’s premises in Peshawar. This decision follows claims of political influence and executive interference, which allegedly compromised the trial’s impartiality. The FCC’s intervention halted the ongoing legal process and issued notices to 84 respondents, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.

Headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, the two-judge bench stayed the proceedings on a petition by the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), which argued for transferring the case out of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PBC cited concerns over the trial’s fairness due to political pressures within the province. The PBC’s legal action seeks to relocate the proceedings to a competent anti-terrorism court in either the Federal Capital Territory of Islamabad or another province.

The legal dispute traces back to 10 May 2023, when over 70 individuals reportedly broke into and ransacked the Radio Pakistan Peshawar building. The assailants allegedly vandalised property, set vehicles ablaze, and assaulted staff members, causing significant damage to the historical site and its contents.

In the aftermath, the ATC-III framed charges against various individuals on 3 June 2025. However, the accused, including several high-ranking provincial officials, pleaded not guilty.

The petition highlighted several contentious actions by the provincial authorities, such as the cabinet’s decision to withdraw from prosecuting cases linked to the May 2023 unrest, including the attack on Radio Pakistan.

Moreover, the petition noted the appointment and subsequent withdrawal of a special prosecutor who had previously defended some of the accused, and the KP Provincial Assembly speaker’s formation of a special committee to conduct a parallel investigation. Notably, this committee included accused individuals.

The PBC also accused the Prosecutor General’s office of withholding a supplementary report prepared by the investigating officer. This report identified additional suspects based on information from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

On March 27, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received comprehensive briefings on the operations of the Press Information Department (PID) and the National Book Foundation (NBF) at the Governor House in Peshawar. The briefings focused on updating communication strategies and enhancing the reading culture.

During the session with PID officials, including Director General Tahira Syeda and Deputy Director Romana Asad Khan, Governor Kundi received a briefing on the department’s roles concerning challenges in digital media, strategic communication, and media relations. The discussion also covered public narrative, outreach, stakeholder engagement, social media management, crisis communication, and internal coordination. The effectiveness of narrative building through promoting government initiatives and research-based articles was highlighted.

Governor Kundi stressed the importance of aligning PID’s operations with modern communication needs and directed that PID offices in Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan be upgraded with modern facilities. He also proposed the establishment of a media cell to enhance communication capabilities.

In another meeting, Dr Khan Farhan, Secretary of the National Book Foundation, and Director Headquarters Murad Ali Mohmand briefed the Governor on the Foundation’s efforts. The Governor was informed about the NBF’s initiatives, including publishing projects, book fairs, mobile bookshops, and special discount schemes for students and teachers. The briefing also touched on the provision of free books to visually impaired individuals and religious seminaries, as well as the establishment of 24 NBF outlets at various locations, including the National Assembly.

The Governor acknowledged the critical role of books and reading in the intellectual development of society. He directed further measures to foster reading habits among the youth and to ensure the availability of books in remote areas. Governor Kundi assured full cooperation for promoting educational and literary activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

On March 25, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi received a briefing at the Governor House on the restoration and operational status of Radio Pakistan Peshawar.

Tufail Ahmad, Station Director of Radio Pakistan Peshawar, with Senior Producer Sardar Azam Khan, provided insights into the station’s rich history and current operations.

Established on March 6, 1935, Radio Pakistan Peshawar was broadcasting from the Civil Secretariat and from April 28, 1985, the station was broadcast from the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Peshawar and covers a broad range of content in multiple languages, reflecting the region’s diverse cultural tapestry. The station’s reach extends to remote areas and across the border into Afghanistan.

The Governor was updated on the station’s recent restoration following considerable damage during an incident on May 9, 2023. The restoration was completed in January 2026, the Governor was informed. Governor Kundi praised the restoration work and emphasized the necessity of modernizing the station to meet digital age requirements and appeal to younger audiences. He advocated for enhanced broadcast quality and greater emphasis on regional languages and cultural promotion.

On February 13, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to integrating Radio Pakistan with modern technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to enhance its role in public service, education, health and national development. The pledge was made in his message marking World Radio Day, with President Asif Ali Zardari also reiterating support for modernising the national broadcaster.

In his message, the prime minister highlighted that Radio Pakistan has been a pivotal medium of communication since the nation’s inception, playing a crucial role in uniting the country, enhancing information accessibility, and raising public awareness. He emphasised the historical significance of radio in promoting agricultural development, environmental consciousness, cultural activities, and public enlightenment in Pakistan.

Reflecting on the digital transformation globally, the prime minister noted that radio is evolving to meet modern-day demands. He stated that this year’s World Radio Day theme, ‘Radio and Artificial Intelligence’, exemplifies the potential of combining technology with human creativity to create more effective and inclusive communication systems.

The prime minister said that practical steps were being taken to adopt cutting-edge technology, equip the younger generation with modern skills and align the media sector with international standards. He added that under the government’s Digital Pakistan Vision, innovation in the media and information technology sectors was being promoted to enable the country to attain a prominent position in the fields of knowledge and technology.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in their separate messages, emphasised the need to harmonise Radio Pakistan and other media organisations with contemporary requirements. They called for efforts to ensure that national media institutions continue to serve as strong mediums of truth, responsibility and national cohesion.

On February 3, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) reported probable facial matches between the profile photographs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi and four other individuals with footage linked to the 2023 Radio Pakistan Peshawar attack, though an anti-terrorism court has directed investigators to refile the document with complete case papers on the next hearing date.

A single-page forensic report, sent by a deputy director (technical) of Nadra in Islamabad to its assistant director (LEA Cell) in Peshawar was placed before the anti-terrorism court during ongoing proceedings concerning the ransacking and arson at the Radio Pakistan building. Judge Wali Mohammad Khan returned the report to the investigation team and instructed them to submit a proper report along with the charge sheet on 14 February.

The Nadra findings follow a forensic assessment issued last month by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, which also identified Mr Afridi and four others in video clips provided by investigators. According to the Nadra document, a USB device containing five folders was processed through its Facial Recognition System. Each folder carried material associated with one of the five individuals, and the system recorded probable matches with their Computerised National Identity Card photographs. Nadra noted that the analysis was provisional and that physical verification remained necessary.

The individuals identified in both reports include former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Khan Bangash, as well as Irfan Saleem and Aamir Khan Chamkani. None of the five are currently facing trial in the case. The Nadra report was prepared under the subject “Identification of Accused” and stated that the USB and accompanying request letter had been returned after examination.

The PFSA report, prepared between 19 and 23 December 2025, analysed 16 videos supplied by the Sharqi police station. It stated that most of the clips showed no evidence of editing, apart from added text and logos in some cases, and confirmed facial matches between footage and official photographs. Last month, several individuals named in the clips disputed that the videos related to the Radio Pakistan incident.

The anti-terrorism court had earlier ordered forensic examination of relevant videos and facial recognition assessments by both PFSA and Nadra. The request for these examinations originated from the station director of the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, who sought verification of the authenticity of the footage, the presence of individuals and the identification of suspects.

The case concerns the events of 9 May 2023, when protesters attacked the Radio Pakistan Peshawar premises and set parts of the building on fire following the arrest of Imran Khan. An FIR was registered the same day at East Cantonment police station. The trial is under way with 75 accused indicted on 3 June 2025, including serving and former lawmakers. Those facing trial include provincial minister Meena Khan Afridi, MNA Asif Khan, MPAs Fazal Ilahi Khan and Arbab Waseem, and former MPAs Arbab Jehandad, Fida Gul and Wajid Khan.

The court has adjourned further proceedings to 14 February.

On January 15, Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar announced that veteran broadcaster Ishrat Fatima would return to Pakistan Television (PTV) as a mentor for aspiring newscasters and broadcasters. The announcement was made during his visit to her residence in Islamabad and follows the end of her 45-year association with Radio Pakistan.

Tarar said that Fatima’s extensive professional experience would support the training of new entrants in news reading and broadcasting. He described her as a seasoned newscaster whose voice had been widely recognised across the country over several decades of national service.

The minister explained that he personally requested Fatima to join PTV after her retirement, noting that her guidance would assist the next generation and contribute to the promotion of the Urdu language. He added that her return would strengthen Pakistan Television as an institution and mentioned that preparations were under way for her formal welcome.

Speaking to the media, Fatima said that news reading had been her lifelong passion and expressed gratitude for being entrusted with the mentoring responsibility. She stated that she looked forward to teaching younger broadcasters and contributing to the improvement of the organisation. She also encouraged continued government support for competent professionals in all fields.

Tarar highlighted Fatima’s long-standing contributions to national broadcasting and her role in shaping professional journalism in Pakistan. Fatima reiterated the importance of nurturing emerging talent to maintain standards of responsible and credible reporting.

On January 11, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was identified in a forensic report submitted to an anti-terrorism court as one of the individuals appearing in video footage linked to the May 2023 attack on the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar. The footage was analysed by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency in accordance with a court directive issued as part of the ongoing trial.

The report, prepared by the PFSA, was based on video clips provided by authorities showing the ransacking of the Radio Pakistan office during protests that broke out after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023. The forensic agency confirmed that the videos were genuine and that five individuals, including CM Sohail Afridi and former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Bangash, were identified in the footage. However, the report did not clarify whether the clips were directly linked to the Radio Pakistan incident or other events.

The court had earlier instructed that the videos be analysed to determine their authenticity and whether the individuals whose images were provided appeared in them. The PFSA report confirmed the presence of the five individuals but noted that the videos were a compilation of multiple camera angles and had not been edited otherwise. At the time of submission, none of the individuals had been nominated in the case.

In response to the report, PTI leaders claimed the footage was unrelated to the Radio Pakistan incident. Taimur Jhagra stated that the videos being circulated included clips unrelated to the Peshawar attack and were taken in Islamabad on May 9. He added that the forensic report only verified the authenticity of the videos and did not link them to the attack site.

The anti-terrorism court has scheduled the next hearing for January 26. The FIR was registered at East Cantonment police station on May 10, 2023, and on June 3, 2025, 75 individuals were indicted in the case, including present and former lawmakers. Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari stated that the forensic findings provided “irrefutable evidence” of a planned conspiracy involving arson and rioting in Peshawar.

On November 2, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government announced plans to form an inquiry commission to investigate the May 9, 2023, attack on the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar. The provincial authorities described the incident as a “trap” set for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his party and stated that the inquiry would determine those responsible for the ransacking and arson.

Provincial Minister for Local Government, Elections and Rural Development Meena Khan Afridi announced during a press conference in Peshawar. The minister said, “An inquiry commission will be formed in the first cabinet meeting on the incident, which took place in the building of Radio Pakistan Peshawar.”

The minister said the inquiry would analyse CCTV footage to identify those who entered the premises and investigate why the footage had not yet been released. “Since it is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in our jurisdiction, our first cabinet will form an inquiry commission to probe what happened at the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar,” he said.

The Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar was torched during nationwide protests that erupted following the arrest of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises on May 9, 2023. The attack caused extensive damage to the state broadcaster’s infrastructure, destroying broadcasting equipment, historical recordings, and vehicles. One employee suffered burn injuries and was hospitalised.

Meena Khan Afridi said that if the judiciary declined to conduct the inquiry, the government would consider forming a commission comprising senior provincial officers. The minister was accompanied by Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Shafiullah Jan.

Radio Pakistan Peshawar, established in 1935, has played an important role in preserving and promoting Pashto and Urdu cultural heritage. The KP government stated that the proposed inquiry commission would examine all available evidence, including video footage, to identify those responsible for the destruction of the historic building and its archives.

According to The Nation, highlighting the Academy’s modern infrastructure, Solangi emphasized its pivotal role in training the next generation of media professionals. He stressed the significance of Radio Pakistan as a cornerstone of information dissemination and entertainment, noting the accessibility of PBA’s training programs worldwide through contemporary technological platforms.

According to Radio Pakistan, Solangi credited Radio Pakistan for fostering his multilingual skills, which include Urdu, English, Punjabi, and Saraiki. Director General Radio Pakistan, Saeed Ahmed Sheikh, echoed Solangi’s sentiments, welcoming over a hundred participants from diverse regions of Pakistan to the training program via Zoom, underscoring Radio Pakistan’s commitment to societal advancement.

The curriculum, spanning disciplines such as Musicology, Anchoring, Computer, Electronic Journalism, Podcasting, RJ, and Trans-media Storytelling, prioritizes practical knowledge and hands-on training. Esteemed figures from Radio Pakistan will impart their expertise, emphasizing responsible journalism aligned with ethical standards.

According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, Solangi noted that the youth of today are fortunate, as they have access to modern amenities like the internet, unlike previous generations. He emphasized that radio, utilizing contemporary technology, now serves as a tool for education and training, providing valuable resources to young people. The minister highlighted the PBA’s alignment with modern needs, reaching out to youth in remote areas through platforms like Zoom.

Solangi emphasized the global reach facilitated by modern technology, enabling participation in radio programs from anywhere in the world. The minister expressed satisfaction with the diverse participation of Pakistani youth in the initial training program which will also include training for Radio Pakistan staff. He underscored the media’s adaptation to new trends, particularly embracing concepts like artificial intelligence. Notably, the first training program of the Pakistan Broadcasting Academy, following its reactivation, has attracted 107 participants, including 35 females.

The role of media, especially the Radio in providing timely and accurate information to the general public was also discussed in detail.

DG Information KP, Muhammad Imran said the media has played a pivotal and responsible role in maintaining lasting peace in the province. To further improve its capacity and sphere, the Information Dept has established FM radios in the far-flung areas of the newly merged districts from where transmission in local and Pashto languages was continued.

He said the role of people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in promoting national harmony and cohesion was of the prime importance adding that the Info Dept was endeavoring to render its services in a best possible manner in this connection. He said ten radio stations of the department were proving credible information to the public besides informing them regarding their responsibilities.

The NACTA delegation while commending the role of Information and Public Relations Department in the province hoped that these endeavors will definitely yield encouraging results.

Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

According to a news release, the bidding process was scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 10:30am at PEMRA Headquarters.

Source:  Associated Press of Pakistan

Source:  The Nation

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the profession of journalism has a great deal of responsibility for the betterment of the society and the country.

“Journalism is an important pillar of a state. Irresponsible and misuse of this profession can be a source of destruction for the whole of the society. We have to value our teachers, because they create civilised societies and have an important role in the longterm development of any society,” he added. Vice Chancellor University of Peshawar Prof Dr Muhammad Idrees, Chairman Journalism Department Prod Dr Faizullah Jan, other faculty members, students and journalists attended the event.

On the occasion, the caretaker minister was given a detailed briefing on various sections and affairs of the Journalism Department and later he met the students and also visited the studio. The minister said that the podcast studio would train students in the journalism profession.

He said that journalism is an important profession and it can put right many problems in society. He said it is responsibility of the journalists while reporting to keep our social values in mind. Misuse of social media led to incidents like May 09.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Idrees said that journalism is an important field. He said the university administration would always support the department.

He said that when he took charge, there were salary issues in the university. “Now we have passed surplus budgets twice. My efforts are meant to solve the problems of all the departments of the university,” he added.

Chairman Journalism Department Prof Dr Faizullah Jan while addressing the event said that the department had been established in 1978 as the first department of journalism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The department has produced seasoned journalists. Now the department not only produces journalists but attention is being paid to strategic communication,” he added.

Source:  The Nation

A Senate committee on Friday also suggested that vehicle owners should be charged up to Rs5,000 for subscription to Radio Pakistan because the national broadcaster needed to be steered out of a financial crises.

A subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Information held a detailed briefing on the financial condition of the PBC and expressed serious concern over non-payment of pensions and salaries to its serving as well as retired employees.

Convener of the subcommittee Senator Irfan Siddiqui asked the management of the PBC to give a deadline for releasing the pending pensions and salaries of the Radio Pakistan employees.

Senate panel suggests charging vehicle owners for subscription to Radio Pakistan

Radio Pakistan Director GeneralTahir Hassan assured the subcommittee that two months’ pending pension as well as two months’ pending salaries of the employees will be cleared before Eid.

The committee was informed about the financial woes of Radio Pakistan and that it was currently facing a revenue shortfall of around Rs2.2 billion. Officials also requested the senators to help them in obtaining a one-time bailout grant of Rs1 billion to meet its expenditures for May and June.

Senator Siddiqui asked the officials of Radio Pakistan to prepare a financial recovery plan and present it to the Senate standing committee after getting approval of the Radio Pakistan Board.

“The problem is that you people have been acting on your own bypassing the rules – eventually things will not materialise and financial conditions will not improve,” Senator Siddiqui said.

Some options for financial recovery of Radio Pakistan included charging up to Rs5,000 from vehicle owners as radio subscription at the time of registration and payment of the token fee.

“We need to have business development plans on modern lines including harnessing potentials of properties owned by radio but all steps have to be taken in accordance with the law and in a transparent manner,” the convener of the subcommittee added.

The issue of rental income by Radio Pakistan was raised by Senator Waqar Mehdi, and the subcommittee was informed that around Rs748 million were yet o be recovered in terms of rent.

The subcommittee was informed that most of the tenants were government departments at Radio Pakistan buildings and land while many were not paying rents whereas Sindh Rangers had occupied a portion of Radio Pakistan building on M.A. Jinnah Road, Karachi without any approval.

Senator Mehdi said Radio Pakistan had given its property to private institutions at very low rates and significant efforts were not being made to recover the pending amount.

“One property in Karachi has been rented at Rs54 per square foot to a fast food restaurant. This is unfair and Radio Pakistan has not done anything serious to get Rangers out of the building.

“Did you write to Sindh government or the interior ministry against actions of Rangers. Besides, why is Radio Pakistan paying the utility bills of that building?” he added.

Senator Siddiqui assured the officials of Radio Pakistan of help from the Senate body but only if they acted to improve their recoveries.

He also directed the officials to refurbish Z.A. Bukhari auditorium in PBC headquarters Islamabad while Senator Mehdi promised to get donations for carpets, furniture and so on.

Source: Dawn

The theme for this year’s World Radio Day is “Radio and Peace”.

On this day, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation is organizing a grand dialogue among FMs, Stream Channels and OTT platforms to discuss the emerging new digital broadcasting ecosystem at Radio Pakistan Headquarters Islamabad.

The dialogue will help shape new opportunities for the broadcasters and listeners to cope with the challenging role and scope of broadcasting industry.

The dialogue is aimed at communication, collaboration, cooperation and critical thinking for development and effectiveness of broadcasting media in the country.

Radio is an important source, of mass communication in the present era, which remains vital during war, peace, catastrophe and pandemic.

Source: Radio Pakistan

The decision was taken in a meeting, presided over by PEMRA Chairman Muhammad Saleem Baig, which reviewed the annual performance of the authority’s senior officers, a news release said.

Senior Director Generals, Director Generals and senior officers of all regional offices of PEMRA attended the meeting.

The meeting also finalized a policy for cable licensing in under-served areas and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) policy.

Apart from this, the meeting deliberated on various issues while evaluating the performance related to the collection of revenue and a committee for revision of the tariff of cable TV.

The PEMRA Chairman got a detailed briefing on day-to-day affairs and recovery and emphasized on implementation of PEMRA laws in letter and spirit.

“Indian transmission should be strictly prohibited as the content viewed on them is harmful to our religious and social values and for the economy of Pakistan,” he said instructing Regional Directors to ensure a ‘zero tolerance’ policy in that regard.

Saleem Baig urged all the officers to do their best for improving the image and prestige of the authority.

The chairman asked the officers to ensure the implementation of PEMRA laws, stressing strong ‘communication and consultation’ with all stakeholders for the development of the media industry in Pakistan.

Source: APP

The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, which met here with Senator Faisal Javed in the chair, was briefed by the officials about the ‘Digital Radio Migration’ project.

The ministry said the project would help in making radio greener, clearer and bigger and it would also prove fruitful in increasing the revenue of the radio.

The committee also discussed the issue raised by ARY News regarding blockage of transmission.

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Chairman Mohammad Saleem Baig informed the members that the authority had not given order to block any news channel’s transmission.

Mr Baig asked the ARY channel’s spokesperson to provide details about areas where transmission had been blocked as well as names of cable operators.

He said the authority would take legal action against those responsible for blocking the channel’s transmission.

The committee chairman, Senator Faisal Javed, inquired from the ministry about the steps taken to curb the menace of fake news.

He was of the opinion that there was no need to make new laws but to strengthen the existing ones and regulatory authorities.

The committee also discussed the authenticity of the list circulating on social media about the entourage of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia.

Senator Faisal Javed directed the ministry to provide details of prime minister’s visits to different countries from 2018 onwards to differentiate between the expense of visits of the former and current prime minister.

The officials of Internal Publicity (IP) Wing briefed the committee members about the structure, programming and working of IP wing.

The IP wing was part of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its major functions were to formulate, update policies, laws, rules and regulatory framework concerning print, electronic and digital media, the IP wing’s officials told the participants.

It coordinated with media bodies like All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.

Senator Aon Abbas Buppi asked the officials to provide details of people who had so far received financial assistance from the wing.

Source: Dawn

Old data of Radio Pakistan got wasted due to unavailability of the storage space, he told meeting of the committee chaired by Mian Javed Latif.

Fawad said the government had also set up the first-ever digital media wing in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to curb the propaganda emanating from the foreign countries against Pakistan.

Citing the example of an Indian channel that made a large number of videos on Noor Muqadam case, he said the move was aimed at portraying Pakistan as an unsafe country for women.

The minister informed the committee that the Media University was being set up in the country under the public-private partnership.

In 1970, he said Pakistan was the third-largest filmmaker in the world, regretting that the Indian culture had influence due to its film and music.

Fawad informed the committee that efforts were afoot to make a film on the life of Zaheer-ud-Din Babar in collaboration with Uzbekistan.

“The Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA) law was enacted by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz,” said Fawad who clarified that the amendments were made in its Article 20 which increased the sentence to five years from three years for the relevant offence.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Shahera Shahid informed the committee that a project would be launched in the next financial year to digitalize Radio Pakistan.

She was of the view that digitalization would increase the scope of radio broadcasting, besides improving the quality.

The committee unanimously confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting held on December 6, 2021.

The ministry had given a compliance report regarding the recommendations of the previous meeting.

The committee appreciated the steps taken by the ministry for the digital migration project and recommended to consider using Radio Pakistan’s land situated in Khairpur for the DRM Project.

The committee reiterated its recommendation that a proposal to bring Khairpur Radio Station back to operation should be presented to the DDWP before next meeting of the committee.

The committee was apprised by the ministry about their PSDP projects.

The committee endorsed all the budgetary proposals relating to the ministry and its attached departments for the financial year 2022-23.

The committee had a detailed discussion on PECA Ordinance, 2022, and recommended that the matter needed further discussion therefore it would be included in the next meeting agenda.

The committee deferred the remaining agenda for its next meeting.

Engr. Usman Khan Tarakai, Nasir Khan Musazai, Ali Nawaz Awan, Tahir Iqbal, Muhammad Akram Cheema, Aftab Jehangir, Syma Nadeem, Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, Nadeem Abbas, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Saad Waseem, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Dr. Nafisa Shah, and Naz Baloch also attended the meeting.

Source: Urdu Point

Around 26 radio stations, both private and public, are operating across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to educate people on social and political issues and protect them against flood of misinformation or disinformation.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Broadcasters Forum (KPBF) arranged an event to mark the day wherein speakers presented papers on the importance of community radio. A music show and a short play were also part of the event. Participants hoped that radio workers would be facilitated to serve people.

The event was arranged at Radio Pakistan Peshawar wherein broadcasters, local artists and fans participated and discussed the significance of radio in public life.

This year, the day was observed with the theme of ‘radio and radio’ dating back to early 1940s venture to connect voices of people for effective social awareness on a wide range of issues.

The introduction of community radio to public of the subcontinent in 1930s was a phenomenal event as local people were exposed to a new world.

Khaista Rehman, chief of KPBF, in his brief talk stressed the need for giving more incentives to broadcasters. He said that community radio was still the cheapest and most affordable source of setting home trends and a strong way of reaching out to people.

Senior broadcaster Haji Aslam Khan said on the occasion that community radio was impacting public lives in every field across the globe and therefore was voice of people for addressing their issues.

The launch of radio station in Peshawar in March 1935 opened a new era where public awareness transferred views and outlook of people on many social and political issues.

Speakers threw light on importance of radio for community development in several fields. They said that radio was not only source of information but it also provided people with entertainment and awareness on public health and local development.

They said that despite plethora of conventional and modern tools and devices, radio was still the most reliable source of voice communication and community service.

Source: Dawn

The 165th meeting of Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) chaired by PEMRA Chairman Muhammad Saleem Baig unanimously approved request for transfer of shares and induction of new directors/shareholders of the Messers Al Kamal Media (Pvt).

The forum approved the application of Messers Jag Broadcasting systems limited Karachi for change management and transfer of its shares.

The authority also approved change in management of Messers Lucky Broadcasting (SMC, Pvt Ltd).

The meeting endorsed the cable licences issued by the authority from July 1, 2019 to February 17, 2021.

The meeting was attended by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Ms Shahera Shahid,Federal board of Revenue Chairman Dr Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed,Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman Maj Gen (Retd) Aamir Azeem Bajwa, Interior Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, Member Federal Capital Syed Abuzar Peerzada, Member Sindh Sadia Malik,Member Balochistan Farah Azeem Shah, Member Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Araifain,Member Punjab, Faisal Sher Jan and Pemra Executive Member Ashfaq Jumani attended the moot.

Source: Urdu Point

Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Agriculture Manzoor Hussain Wassan told Dawn on Friday that radio broadcasting had been started in Hyderabad, Larkana and Khairpur.

One hour of broadcasting would be regarding awareness on weather conditions while topics of water and cultivation of suitable crops would also be discussed on radio, he added.

Mr Wassan said the provincial agriculture department had started a program in Tharparkar, Umerkot and Mithi districts to control

Food shortage and cultivate vegetables for the deserving class.

Source: Dawn

According to AIOU, it is a purely non-commercial and educational FM radio channel.

The University will continue its educational broadcasts on FM 91.6 at a distance of about 45 square kilometers from this station.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between PEMRA and Allama Iqbal Open University, regarding the extension of license, yesterday.

The document was signed by Wakil Khan, DG PEMRA and Bibi Yasmin, Additional Registrar AIOU on behalf of their respective organizations.

Muhammad Munir Malik, Senior Producer of the University, Tariq Mahmood, General Manager Licensing, Muhammad Tahir, General Manager Operations and staff officers were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Bibi Yasmin said that the university has shifted its administrative, financial and academic activities from manual to automation, in which this radio broadcast station will play a key role.

She added that the university has already launched a ‘Web TV’ facility to provide multimedia support to more than 1.4 million students across the country, which is running very successfully to benefit the people.

Chairman PEMRA Muhammad Saleem Baig, appreciated the educational services of Allama Iqbal Open University in Pakistan.

He said that FM Radio Broadcast University would definitely help millions of students in getting education.

Source: Daily Times

The podcast offers interviews of dignitaries, daily news review, current affairs programs, documentaries, music, sports and a lot more to inform, educate and entertain people through different internet platforms, said a press release issued on Wednesday.

This new media service enables the people to download the audio and video content on a variety of topics any time by using the internet.

For this, they will have to just visit podcast.radio.gov.pk.

The initiative, which is part of the digitalization of the state media, will greatly contribute to projecting the state narrative in an effective way.

Digital media has a critical role in highlighting Kashmir issue, combating Islamophobia and depicting true culture of Pakistan. Media’s role has increased manifold in narrative building and countering fake news to stop sensationalism and uncertainty. Digital media has vast potential in commercialization of sports and other events to generate revenue as well.

The national broadcaster has always remained on the forefront to equip itself with the latest technological trends to expand its outreach and serve the interests of its listeners by providing them credible and authentic news and quality entertainment.

Radio Pakistan service is part of the National Digital Information Platform keeping in view the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan for a Digital Pakistan.

Source: The Nation

Pilac Director General Dr Sughra Sadaf told Dawn both new radio stations had started their test transmissions at the 99.4MHz.

“Pilac has also been running the Punjab Rung Radio at Lahore for the last 13 years. It has played a marvelous role in spreading awareness about the Covid-19 and dengue through special transmissions. It broadcasts programmes to remember noted personalities related to language, art and culture.”

She said new radio stations at Rawalpindi and Multan had been established to expand the network of the Punjab Rung, which had a very special scope and certain objectives that made it different from other radio stations.

Elaborating objectives of the new radio stations, the DG said they would promote mother language, its dialects, arts, culture and Sufism. Besides, , she added, the stations would promote diverse culture of Punjab through broadcasting folk music, folklore, programmes on arts and cultural awareness.

Ms Sadaf said the radio stations of Pilac were providing technical expertise to the educational institutions, media and cultural bodies in programming, production, folk music, fine arts and literature.

“These radio stations are focused on live transmissions that are presented on national, international, religious days and social events. They also carry out awareness campaigns by broadcasting informative programmes for public awareness.”

Sughra Sadaf said the FM radio stations work for the education department by airing educational content on a daily basis that helped students in distance learning.

She said Pilac wanted to expand the network of these radios to the divisional level to promote mother language, arts, culture and Sufism.

Newspaper: Dawn

The renewed licenses belonged to educational institutions including Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro, Allama Iqbal University Islamabad, Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi, University of Karachi, National University of Modern Languages Islamabad, Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture Lahore, Hazara University |Mansehra, FG Margalla College for Women, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Visual academy Peshawar, University of Peshawar, The University of Punjab Lahore, and Dawah Academy International Islamic University Islamabad, said a press release issued here.

The authority also gave approval for issuance of “R category” cable television licenses for suburbs of city areas.

The authority also accorded approval to issuance of licenses for educational purposes on non-commercial basis to Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture in Rawalpindi and Multan.

Morevoer, the meeting gave approval to issuance of internet Protocol TV distribution license to Messer’s Fariha Network (pvt) Limited Karachi in Karachi Telecom region.

The meeting also gave approval to revised budget expenditure of PEMRA for year 2020-2021 and budget proposals for 2021-2022.

The meeting was chaired by PEMRA Chairman Muhammad Salim Baig and attended by Secretary Information and Broadcasting Shahera Shahid, Secretary interior, Yousuf Naseem, Chairman FBR Javed Ghani, Chairman PTA Maj Gen (retd) Amir Azim Bajwa.

PEMRA Member Sindh Safia Malik, Member Balochistan Farha Azeem Shah, Member Punjab Faisal Sher Khan, Member KPK Muhammad Arifain, Member Federal Capital Syed Husain Abu Zar Pirzada and Executive Member Ashfaq Jumani also attended the meeting.

Website: Urdu Point

The PPP leader was reacting to closure of four radio channels in Bajaur by the district administration few days ago. Flanked by the staff of Radio Shumal, Akhunzada Chattan insisted that his channel is legal by all means and he possesses documentary proof in this regard. He said his channel is running its broadcasts since 2012.

Akhunzada Chattan said Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had formally registered frequency of Radio Shumal and licence was not given as Fata was not merged with KP at that time.

The PPP leader said that he will apprise the heads of every institution, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan and army chief, of the issues being confronted by the people of his area and raise awareness among the masses through FM radio channels. He said it is not the first time that his radio channel has been closed.

Akhunzada Chattan said he is unable to understand how the transmissions of his FM radio station were against the interests of the state. He said Fata Secretariat information secretary and provincial minister Shaukat Yousafzai had also visited Radio Shumal office. He said he is also unable to understand why the district administration has sent notice to the channel which is the job of Pemra.

On March 30, Deputy Commissioner Bajaur Fayaz Sherpao issued a notification in which it was stated that four radio stations would be immediately closed for not having no-objection certificate (NOC) of the KP Information Department. It said the radio stations are operating illegally without NOC.

“These (radio stations) are telecasting biased and politicised programs. Locals are often complaining against these illegal FM stations during meetings and interactions with the undersigned (deputy commissioner),” it said.

The four radio stations which have been closed include:

FM Radio Station Shumal at PTV complex, Civil Colony Khar.

FM Radio Station Aman at Khar tehsil.

FM Radio Station Madrassa Tafheezul Quran, Yousaf Abad.

FM Radio Station at Jamia Sanavia at Salfian Colony Sadiq Abad.

“Beside the above, any illegal FM station functioning within the territorial limit of tribal district Bajaur are hereby ordered to be closed with immediate effect, in the best public interest,” said the notification.

Muhammad Ali, Superintendent Information Department for merged districts, told TNN that they cannot issue licence or NOC to any private radio channel, as this is the domain of Pemra. He said he doesn’t know why the deputy commissioner in Bajaur has asked radio stations to obtain NOC as the Information Department has not received any such orders from the provincial government.

Website: TNN

According to a notification issued by deputy commissioner Mohammad Fayyaz Khan, the district administration took the action after observing that the FM radio stations were not only functioning illegally but also broadcasting biased content. It said these FM radio stations were functioning without obtaining NOC from the information department.

Moreover, it claimed the locals had also often complained against these FM radio stations during meetings with the deputy commissioner and other officials of the administration.

“In view of the above, the district administration has decided to close four illegally-run FM radio stations with immediate effect in the best public interest,” the notification added.

The notification stated that any other illegal FM station functioning within the territorial limits of Bajaur was hereby ordered to be closed with immediate effect.’

Newspaper: Dawn , The News  , The Nation

They spoke at the launching ceremony of the Radio Live Shows project in the newly merged tribal districts. Addressing the event, Secretary Local Governments and Rural Development Shakeel Ahmad Mian said sharing of information was vital for socioeconomic uplift of a society.

He said development cannot be ensured without access of the people to information regarding various line departments and agencies.

Radio was the most effective medium through which awareness can be created among the people about their rights and basic facilities of life, he added. He stressed the need for involving all line departments in the project to change the socioeconomic conditions of the people of the merged districts.

He said for better results the print, electronic as well as social media should be involved in the initiative to make it a success.

Commissioner Right to Information Commission (RTI), Riaz Khan Daudzai in his remarks said not only the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan but Universal Declaration of Human Rights ensured the citizens’ right of freedom of expression, speech and access to information.

He said transparency without access to information was impossible, adding, the right to information ensured transparency and transparency ensured accountability. He said that in 2013, the RTI Act of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was among the 10 best laws in the world. “So far 9,000 applicants had been provided the required information out of the total 20,000 seeking information from various departments and agencies,” he said. He argued that after the enactment of the RTI law secrecy no more existed. “Now people even in the countryside are able to know how much funds are being spent on development schemes in their area and can ask questions from their elected representatives which is a step towards transparency and accountability at grassroots level,” he maintained.

Managing Director, Health Foundation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Janbaz Afridi said results were not possible if a message was not communicated properly. He felt it was due to the communication gap that vital programmes like polio eradication could not bring 100 percent results despite spending huge funds and human resources. He pointed out that a large number of people were still not clear either to vaccinate themselves against Covid-19 or not despite the fact that hundreds of people died due to its outbreak.

He said development was directly linked to health as a healthy person can play a role in the uplift activities. He said the newly merged districts still lacked basic amenities of life and hoped the GIZ-Fata Development Programme (FDF) would bring positive results leading to the socioeconomic development of people of the hitherto neglected areas.

TV compere and production director of Radio Live Shows project Jamshed Ali Khan highlighted its aims and objectives and introduced the clips of reporters for the programme sent from various merged districts.

Mehvish and Muddassar threw light on different components of the project. They said that the departments of Local Government and Rural Development, Planning and Development, RTI Commission and Health and Education departments were part of the programme.

Newspaper: The News

On Thursday, Zahra was named the winner of the Washington-based 2020 Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award. She won the top photojournalism award for her “moving images” of the Kashmir dispute.The jury praised the 26-year-old’s work.

“I am happy that the world recognises my plight and the plight of other journalists working in tough circumstances. The case against me was shocking. You cannot book journalists for the pictures they take. The pictures we take are the testimonials of people. They are the truth as it is. The awards and recognition might not change our whole situation, but yes, it makes us feel that there are journalist bodies that understand what we go through as professional journalists,” Zahra told media. “They would at least speak for us and keep our cases alive,” she added.

Zahra said the award serves as recognition for women journalists in conflict zones and that it is a collective recognition of the work of all journalists in Kashmir who have faced tough times and continue to do so.

Website: Radio Pakistan

According to an official statement issued by the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), Senior Broadcast Engineer Mohammad Ashfaq, 48, was a regular Radio Pakistan employee who was known for his competence and dedication.

Huma Zafar, 52, was an Urdu newscaster who had been reading national bulletins for the last 20 years. She had recently completed a PhD in Psychology from abroad. For her performance and qualification, she was awarded the ‘outstanding’ category in 2017.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz, Information Secretary Akber Hussain Durrani, Radio Pakistan Director General Ambreen Jan and all the directors and staff members of the national broadcaster have expressed their condolences regarding the deaths of both staffers and sympathised with their families.

The PBC director general also held a meeting at PBC Headquarters, where the concerned officers were directed to ensure strict compliance with standard operating procedures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

She said all the preventive and precautionary measures are being taken to protect PBC staff.

Radio Pakistan Deputy Controller News Sajjad Parvez told Dawn that Ashfaq was from Bahawalpur but had been working in Islamabad for several years.

He said Ashfaq tested positive for Covid-19 10 days ago and had isolated himself. He already suffered from a chronic lung condition, because of which his immune system was weak and the infection developed, he said.

“His kidneys were also weak, because of which he underwent dialysis, but he could not survive,” he said, adding: “He had also served in Faisalabad and Bahawalpur.”

Mr Parvez said Zafar was associated with the PBC as a contractual employee and was also a professor at the Viqarunnisa Postgraduate College in Rawalpindi.

“Huma’s sister was infected with Covid-19 in Lahore, due to which she went to Lahore with her mother. Later, she and her mother also contracted the virus, due to which her mother died Wednesday night and she died on Thursday,” he said.

PBC media coordinator Chaudhry Zameer Ashraf also confirmed that both staffers died from Covid-19.

He said the PBC has decided to ensure the safety of employees and all possible measures are being taken to protect them from the coronavirus.

A PBC employee who asked not to be named said that officially, nine engineers were tested for Covid-19 of which four were positive and the reports of another two employees are still pending.

Newspaper: Dawn

Related links: Nation

“Pemra in a move to fill its coffers with irrational levies has started collecting from private radio broadcasters licence renewal fees, which is several multiple times more of what they used to pay originally. This is also being done at a time when the radio industry, specifically, and the media industry on the whole is going through the worst economic crisis in its history,” the statement read.

Newspaper: Dawn

Related links: The News, business recorder

Established by the Information and Public Relations Department in a short span of time despite the prevailing coronavirus pandemic at Khar, the district headquarters of Bajaur, the radio would now disseminate information on important social, economic and health issues, including the prevailing Covid-19 epidemic.

Radio station in-charge Producer Fitrat Buneri said that Advisor to Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Ajmal Wazir would formally inaugurate the radio station. He said the people of adjoining districts, including Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Buner, Malakand, Mohmand and Kunar province of Afghanistan would listen to and enjoy the programmes broadcast by the radio station.

It may be mentioned that this is the first FM 91.1 radio station established in Bajaur district after the merger of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Newspaper: The News

As the world experiences one of the most debilitating and unprecedented health and economic crises of recent times, corporations have a tough task on their hands-how to continue to reach out to their customers and target audiences while keeping business afloat. BR Research sat down with Zohare Ali Shariff on a virtual Zoom call to discuss what communication challenges Pakistani businesses are facing today, how they are handling it and what strategies would work best to keep customer loyalty intact as the country collectively fights the COVID-19 plight. Zohare is a PR and communications professional who heads Asiatic Public Relations (APR) Network. Here are edited transcripts.

BR Research: Arguably, the government- at the Federal and the Provincial level- has one of the biggest communication obligations at the moment, not only to share progress updates with the people but to keep mass hysteria at bay. What messages do the government need to put out and what specific communication strategy measures would you suggest?

Zohare Ali Shariff: A communication strategy generally, and especially in a crisis, needs to do three things – inform, inspire, involve. In the present COVID-19 crisis, informing the people would entail sharing accurate and updated facts with the publics regularly, even daily, like the British and some other governments are doing through a daily media briefing, telecast live—headed by a key minister and more importantly, an epidemiologist and head of National Health Service as members. The daily update has to be honest, factual and without bombast or populist rhetoric. The second objective is to inspire. This should serve to motivate the public to be united as a nation, not as individual provinces, to fight this pandemic. And the third objective is to involve. The government should work to instill a deep sense of responsibility across society, so that every single individual feels it a sacred duty to strictly adhere to safety measures given and follow the rules, even as these are modified from time to time in line with the evolving ground realities.

In general, the government has to think about whom its audience is, what the messages are and what medium should be used to widely reach these audiences. We know the target audience is very wide; but we also know a huge share of this—particularly those amongst the rural populations do not have access to television or newspapers. To my knowledge, radio is one of the most powerful mediums in reaching the wider audiences across urban as well as rural Pakistan. The government needs to utilize this medium. The second important factor to consider is language. A lot of Pakistani audiences do not speak or understand Urdu. Is the government communicating in different local languages? Taking these points in stock would really fine-tune government’s communication strategy.

BRR: Demand for non-essential goods and services have slumped around the world as well as in Pakistan. Companies are watching revenues plunge, many have had to lay off employees; others have raised prices to protect margins and so on. What is the best strategy moving forward for corporations?

ZAS: There cannot be one strategy or line of action for all in the corporate sector. Too many variables are at work—the nature of business of the company, its size, the number of its employees, financial strength and so forth. However, every business must consider laying off people only as the very last resort, and instead try to achieve savings in other operational costs. Some sectors like tourism, aviation and hospitality have seen their business and revenues plummet to absolute zero, and in such cases layoffs, or at least pay cuts may be inevitable. However, it is sad to see that some other businesses which have flourished for decades, who have presumably paid off the initial investment long time ago, and who have huge financial reserves or depth, have also resorted to lay-offs in the very first month of the crisis. Companies who are not laying off people and who are even ready to bear losses now, will find that once things are back to some state of normalcy, their employees will exhibit fierce loyalty and give much higher productivity to help their company make up for the losses.

BRR: How can corporations use these times to develop their brand or would brands in Pakistan rather not spend on brand building at the moment?

ZAS: This is obviously not the time for traditional brand building as consumers have cut back spending to only the essentials, besides being deeply stressed out. Companies should use these times to plan for the future and really delve into research and analysis of what consumers will need post COVID-19, and prepare for it. It is obvious that whenever the pandemic ends, the world will not be the same. There might be some initial euphoric consumer spending on all the things people have missed out on in the long months of the lockdown, but I think consumer habits and priorities will have changed post COVID-19 and things getting back to ‘normal’ will not be easy. To quote from the classic novel, The Plague by Nobel Laureate Albert Camus, ‘Destruction is an easier, speedier process than reconstruction.’ So the brands which can accurately predict what these new consumer wants will be, and have used these times to be prepared with new offerings to meet these wants will be the winners.

One thing to note here is that the world has started to change. The classical school of thought that businesses should only care about maximizing their profits and serving their shareholders has evolved. Customers do care about how companies act at different times. Corporations recognize now—especially in developed nations—that they have to create some kind of shared value in the society. They have to look after their employees, the community and the environment. This feeds directly into their brand policy and how they can accumulate brand equity.

BRR: Do you see growing social distancing, especially if it’s prolonged to 8-12 months, will give strength to e-commerce? If so, then how would branding and marketing change in an increasing e-commerce world?

ZAS: Yes, definitely. E-commerce became a way of life in most developed countries several years ago already. Pakistan has been far behind in this for several reasons, including difficulty in making online payments (remember that only about 10 percent of the population has bank accounts), a culture of buying things like daily groceries on credit from the corner store, high level of illiteracy and so on. Things began changing when easy to use online payment systems like uPaisa were introduced. Also online marketing platforms like OLX gave a huge boost to e-commerce. Today, because of home isolation many more people who had never before tried out e-commerce, because of an apprehension of technology or whatever other reason, are getting into e-commerce. So as e-commerce becomes a habit in Pakistan too, brand marketing will almost certainly adapt to this new sales avenue by reaching online shoppers in more innovative ways.

BRR: How responsive do you think Pakistani corporations have been in relation to their communication with their customers so far in this crisis?

ZAS: Frankly I have not done any in-depth or specific study of this. My general impression is that there is always room to do more and do better. The key for companies and brands at this time is to avoid communications which even vaguely comes across as self-serving, and focus on communications which serves to reassure customers and consumers. People need reassurance more than anything else at this time.

BRR: In the age of misinformation how do you suggest corporations strategize themselves?

ZAS: Today there is both misinformation and an overload of information. So the challenge has two facets – how to counter negative propaganda and how to maintain recall and stand out from the crowd. One classic rule of PR and communications is that if you don’t talk about yourself, others will! So it is important that companies maintain continuity of communications with their defined target audiences. And beyond this they need to ensure their communication is credible and rooted in the needs and wants of the recipients.

Unfortunately, some companies treat all communication with an advertising mindset, talking about how great they are or their products are. The public does not want this rhetoric; at least not all the time! Also when strategizing communications, it is vital to disseminate your messaging through multiple channels, the mix depending on who you wish to reach out to.

Newspaper: Business Recorder

Newspaper: Business Recorder

Talking to this agency at the G-9 shelter home, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Shelter Homes Naseemur Rehman said: “The government in collaboration with the private sector

[FM Power 99] has placed at least two large radios at each Panah Gah of the capital to bring behavioral change among its residents through dissemination key public health messages.”

He urged residents of the shelter homes to listen to programmes broadcast on the radios regarding Covid-19 at least twice a day.

Mr Rehman said the gifted radios for residents of the shelter homes marked a big step in promoting health measures and halting spread of the deadly virus.

Radio is a time tested medium in reaching out to public who have minimum access to the conventional modes of communication like television, mainstream and social media.

Since most people who visit shelter homes lack basic information on health, it was imperative to acquaint them with principles of personal hygiene to check the spread of the virus.

Responding to a question, he said shelter homes’ administration was working closely with FM Power 99 to develop messages in multiple languages to enable listeners to move towards healthy living.

“In the prevailing situation, our prime focus is to create an enabling environment for poor people by ensuring uninterrupted supply of essential items at shelter homes.”

A drive, ‘Help keep Panah Gahs clean’ has been launched to prevent outbreak of coronavirus at the facilities which serve food to 2,500 poor and provide overnight shelter to 500 people daily in the twin cities, he added.

“Outreach teams have been formed who hold face-to-face interaction with shelter homes’ beneficiaries who were more vulnerable to contract the virus due to their minimal exposure to print and electronic media.

“Teams, comprising volunteers, have been giving practical demonstrations to visitors to Panah Gahs about mask wearing, personal hygiene and use of soap and sanitisers,” he added.

Newspaper: Dawn

Related link: The News

This information has been revealed in official documents during the ongoing week long national workshop on Digital Radio Migration policy of state-run Radio at Pakistan Broadcasting Academy, Islamabad.

Under the plan, the biggest 1000-Kilowatt DRM Medium-wave transmitting station of state-run Radio will be set up at Fort Monroe hill station in Dera Ghazi Khan district in South Punjab at an estimated cost of three billion rupees.

It will be the first ever most powerful but digital transmitter of state-run Radio that is to be established in center of the country as part of Phase-II of Digital Radio Migration policy and it will help cover the entire population of Pakistan with crystal clear and noise-free waves.

The concerned government authorities are in the process to engage the international donors to execute the gigantic project. With this powerful digital transmitter, Radio Pakistan would also have the capacity to reach out all the strategic destinations like India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, China, Center Asia and the Middle East.

It may be mentioned here that India has already installed two 1,000-kilowatt digital transmitters in addition to several different capacity digital transmitters along Pakistan’s border areas and Pakistan direly needed such an initiative to have compatibility with its arch rivals.

The project has already been approved by the federal cabinet while the Punjab government has been asked to acquire land for the said purpose. District Dera Ghazi Khan is situated at a triangular connecting three provinces of Pakistan including Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. The project would be a great gift for the people of South Punjab as it would help create lot of job opportunities for the locals, removing their sense of deprivation.

Under Phase-II of DRM plan, five DRM+FM transmitters of 10-kilowatt each will be installed in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad and Multan in the existing Radio Stations. Besides, eight DRM+FM transmitters of five kilowatt each will be installed in Quetta, Peshawar, Gilgit, Skardu, Gwadar, Mirpur (Azad Kashmir), Khairpur and Narowal in the existing Radio stations. The phase-II of the plan would be accomplished in three years with an overall estimated cost of Rs3153 million.

And under Phase-III of the plan, four DRM medium wave transmitters of 100-kilowatt each will be installed in Lahore, Skardu, Quetta and Peshawar for strategic purposes. Completion of phase- III in two years will cost an estimated 800 million rupees.

It is worthwhile to mention here that work on Phase-I of the DRM plan is already in progress under which the existing 400-kilowatt DRM-enabled Medium Wave transmitter at Peshawar and 100 KW DRM – enabled Medium Wave transmitter at Dera Ismail Khan will be upgraded for operation on simulcast mode as well as pure digital mode at an estimated cost of Rs176.882 million.

In this millennium, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) started licensing private FM radio stations. The liberalisation of the licensing regime engendered the mushroom growth of local FM radio stations. According to the PEMRA Annual Report 2019, there are 234 FM radio licences, including 177 commercial and 57 non-commercial (of educational institutions, government departments, etc) stations. Around 200 of these licences were granted during 2002 – 2012. Since then, the PEMRA has issued less than 40 new FM radio licences.

According to its stated mandate, the PEMRA as regulator of private broadcast sector is mandated to improve standards of information, education and entertainment as well as enlarge people’s choice for news and current affairs. In its early years, the PEMRA required from its radio licensees to air a “diversified mixture of programmes with not less than 90 percent share of indigenous Pakistani-origin programmes”. Its terms and conditions for commercial FM radio permitted the licensees to “broadcast local news” as well. This was considered a positive step towards diversifying broadcast sources of news and current affairs, which were previously under the control of the government through Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television.

In view of this small window of opportunity, a few FM radio stations, established during the first phase of PEMRA’s licensing, started producing their own news programmes or airing hourly Urdu news bulletins by international broadcasters like the BBC, the DW or the VOA. The PEMRA did not like that and banned the airing of these hourly bulletins produced by international broadcasters arguing that FM radio is a local operation and can only air local content. However, these international broadcasters, particularly the BBC, found a way out and registered themselves in Pakistan as local companies. This, for some time, enabled them to air their hourly news bulletins through their partner FM radio stations. But soon the PEMRA knocked them out through new regulations for radio broadcast operations.

In 2012, the PEMRA amended its regulations and removed the provision relating to airing of ‘local news’ by radio stations, leaving no room for future licensees to have news programmes in their transmission. In the meantime, the PEMRA required the first-phase licensees to renew their licenses issued in 2002 for a period of 10 years. As a precondition for renewal, the PEMRA required the old licensees to deposit a licence fee equivalent to the last highest price paid for a licence in the same city/local area, where the radio service was operating. This practically required them to pay up to Rs 50 million for a license which they had earlier received for less than Rs 1 million for smaller cities, and around Rs 2 million for big cities. These radio stations approached the courts to challenge the revised fee structure. Initially, the courts adjudicated in the PEMRA’s favour. Currently, the matter is sub judice.

Najeeb Ahmed, a senior broadcaster and owner of PEMRA’s first FM licensee – Power FM 99 Islamabad – and now also running FM stations in Abbottabad and Vehari, fears that if the Supreme Court allows the PEMRA to charge these exorbitant renewal fees, a majority of the radio stations will not be able to continue. “The issue of producing and airing independent news and current affair programmes on FM radio becomes secondary when our survival is in question,” says Imran Bajwa, the owner of Mast FM 103 stations in Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore and Multan. Only those few radio stations will survive which are either airing back-to-back music with low operational costs or those being operated by big media houses and business tycoons, he laments.

While the PEMRA, both in theory and practice, seems to discourage airing of news and current affairs on FM radio stations, it also seems to be failing in ensuring a level playing field and fair competition among all players in the sector. According to Media Ownership Monitor (MOM), a study jointly conducted by Freedom Network and Reporters Without Borders in 2019 on media ownership in Pakistan, “the accumulative audience shares of top 10 radio stations constitute 48.2 percent of the audiences’ shares of all radio stations in the country”. State-run Radio Pakistan and its subsidiary, FM 101, which are out of the purview of the PEMRA, are among these top 10 radio stations.

The growing ownership concentration in the hands of a few in the sector is another big issue hampering smaller stations interested in running news and current affairs programmes to compete in the market. For example, owners of media houses like Dawn, Samaa and News One collectively own a large number of FM radio stations in Pakistan; hence encouraging cartelisation in the sector. The PEMRA, on the other hand, seems to have completely ignored this aspect leaving smaller players at the mercy of big fish in the market. Also, due to the absence of any formal association of private FM radio stations, smaller groups are unable to have their say through any ‘collective bargaining’ forum. Moreover, there are over 50 military-run FM stations, which are neither licensed by the PEMRA nor governed by state-run Radio Pakistan. These unlicensed stations are competing for share from the small pie of advertising revenue, which according to Gallup Pakistan is a mere 3 percent of the total media advertising market, for the radio sector in the country.

Advancement of technology is becoming another challenge for the already struggling FM radio sector. Ideally, this technological revolution should have supported the industry in modernising its transmission and audience outreach. However, the sector is unable to benefit from this technological transformation, mainly because of the PEMRA’s inability to digitise the media sector in the country.

While radio in the modern world has moved to Digital Radio Broadcast (DRB) and DRB Plus, which is the modern version of digital radio, the media regulator in Pakistan has not even initiated the process to issue licences for digital radio transmission. According to Najeeb Ahmed, India has moved to Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), which is the next generation of digital radio broadcasting, whereas we are forced to operate the century-old analogue technology. In the age of cyberspace and fifth generation communication technology, where internet and online apps are enabling broadcasters to identify, engage and interact with their targeted audiences, analogue radio is fast becoming irrelevant, including in Pakistan. In this backdrop, the future of radio journalism, although not entertainment, looks bleak in Pakistan.

The News International

پاکستان پریس فاوٗنڈیشن (پی پی ایف)نے پاکستان میں میڈیا کی آزادی اور حفاظت   کے فیلو شپ پروگرام کے لیے درخواستیں وصول کرنے کا اعلان کردیا۔

اس فیلو شپ پروگرام کا مقصد آزادی اظہار رائے کو فروغ دینا اور میڈیا کارکنان کو مدد فراہم کرناہے تاکہ وہ میڈیا کی آزادی اور صحافیوں کے تحفظ سے متعلق مسائل پر رپورٹس تیار کرسکیں ۔

اس فیلوشپ پروگرام میں دو ورک شاپس منعقد کی جائیں گی اور اس کے ساتھ ادارتی اور تکنیکی تعاون بھی دیا جائے گا تاکہ میڈیا کارکنان کی حفاظت پر ،اخلاقی ، قانونی ور پیشہ ورانہ صحافت کے بہتر ین معیار  کے مطابق رپور ٹس تیار کی جائیں۔منتخب افراد میں سے ہر فرد کو فیلوشپ پروگرام کے دوران چھ رپورٹس تیار کرنا ہوں  گی۔ان افراد کو زیادہ ترجیح دی جائے گی جو صحافیوں کو قتل یا زخمی کیے جانے کے مخصوص واقعات پر تفتیشی رپورٹنگ کریں۔

منتخب افراد کو سینیئر صحافیوں کی معاونت میں رکھا جائے گا جو اس فیلو شپ پروگرام کی مدت تک ان افراد کے ایڈیٹر کے فرائض انجام دیں گے۔

صحافی جو پرنٹ،ٹیلی ویژن،ریڈیو یا آن لائن میڈیا میں کم سے کم تین سال کا تجربہ رکھتے ہیں وہ اس پروگرام کے لیے درخواست دے سکتےہیں۔خواتین صحافیوں کی درخواست جمع کروانے کی حوصلہ افزائی کی جائے گی۔

بلوچستان،ضم شدہ اضلاع (سابقہ فاٹا) ،گلگت بلتستان اور آزاد کشمیر سے تعلق رکھنے والے صحافیوں کے لیےاہلیت کی بنا پر شرائط میں نرمی رکھی جاسکتی ہے۔

اس فیلوشپ پروگرام کی مدت تین ماہ ہے اور اس پروگرام میں منتخب افراد کو ساٹھ ہزار روپے(60,000)ادا کیے جائیں گے۔

،درخواست گزار کے لیے درج ذیل کاغذات بھیجنا ضروری ہی

حالیہ تصویر کے ساتھ CV

 درخواست فارم

 پروپوزل فارم

تین لنکس /شائع کردہ یا نشر شدہ رپورٹس

پر بھیجیئے۔  fellowships@pakistanpressfoundation.org درخواست

درخواستیں جمع کروانے کی آخری تاریخ جمعہ 27فروری 2020ہے۔آخری تاریخ گزرنے کے بعد موصول ہونے والی درخواستوں پر عمل نہیں کیا جائے گا۔

پروپوزل فارم کے لیے کلک کریں

درخوست فارم کے لیے کلک کریں

English translation

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) has issued a call for applications for Fellowship program on
Media Safety and Impunity in Pakistan.

The fellowship program aims to promote freedom of expression by providing support to media professionals to produce stories related to issues on Media Safety and Impunity.

The fellowship programs will include two capacity building workshops as well as editorial and technical support to produce reports on safety of media practitioners that meet professional, ethical and legal best practices in journalism. Each selected fellow will have to produce up to six stories during this fellowship program. Preference will be given to fellows who will commit to investigating impunity for specific cases of journalists killed or injured.

Selected fellows will be paired with senior journalist who will act as fellowship editor during the period of fellowship program.

Journalists having minimum experience of three years working for print, television, radio and online media can apply for the fellowship program.

The criteria for journalists from Baluchistan, Districts that were formally in FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir may be relaxed for otherwise qualified applicants. Female journalists are encouraged to apply.

The duration of the fellowship is three months and the amount for the fellowship is sixty thousand rupees.

Applicants must send:

• Professional resume/CV with recent photograph
• Story proposal form (for story proposal form click here)
• Application form (for application form click here)
• Three links/samples of published or broadcast pieces.
• Applications should be sent to fellowships@pakistanpressfoundation.org

The deadline for submitting applications is Thursday, February 27, 2020. Applications received after the due date will not be entertained.

Urdu translation

Last date for receiving applications:   Sunday January 5, 2020

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) invites applications for the 7th batch of PPF Investigative Reporting Fellowships.

The fellowships facilitate Pakistani journalists to produce investigative report that meet the professional, ethical and legal standards. PPF will provide support to journalists, to professionally investigate and report on issues relating to human rights, transparency, environment, inequity, governance and corruption.

The fellowships will include capacity building workshops as well as editorial and technical support.   Selected participants will work under the supervision of a senior journalist who will act as fellowship editor. Each fellow will be expected to produce up to six stories during this fellowship program.

Journalists with a minimum experience of three years working for print, television, radio and online media can apply for the fellowships.

The criteria for journalists from Baluchistan, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir may be relaxed for otherwise qualified applicants. Female journalists are encouraged to apply.

The duration of the fellowship is three months and the amount for the fellowship is sixty thousand rupees.

Completed application forms, in either English or Urdu, containing the following must be received by Sunday January 5, 2020 to be considered for the award of the fellowships.

• Fellowship application form
• Professional resume/CV
• Stories proposal form
• Links or clippings of at least three articles that were published or aired in the last three years.

Applications should be sent to fellowships@pakistanpressfoundation.org

For forms, click the link below;

Application form:

http://pakistanpressfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PPF-Investigative-Reporting-Fellowship-Application-Form-English.docx

Story proposal form;

http://pakistanpressfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PPF-Investigative-Reporting-Fellowship-Story-Proposal-Form-English.docx

Translation

پاکستان پریس فاؤنڈیشن (پی پی ایف) کی جانب سے فیلوشپ برائے تحقیقاتی رپورٹنگ  کے ساتویں بیچ کے لئے درخواستیں موصول کی جارہی ہیں۔

فیلوشپس میں صلاحیت سازی کے لیے ورکشاپس  کے انعقاد کے علاوہ ادارتی اور تکنیکی معاونت بھی فراہم کی جائے گی۔ منتخب امیدواروں کو سینئر صحافی کے ساتھ کام کرنے کا موقع ملے گا جو فیلوشپ کے دوران   پراجیکٹ  ایڈیٹرکاکردارادا کریں گے۔ فیلوشپ پروگرام کے دوران  ہر جرنلسٹ کو چھ رپورٹس تیار کرنا ہوں گی۔

پرنٹ، ٹیلی ویژن، ریڈیو اور آن لائن میڈیا میں کم از کم تین سال کا تجربہ رکھنے والے صحافی فیلوشپس کے لیے درخواستں جمع کروا نے کے اہل ہیں۔

بلخصوص بلوچستان، فاٹا، گلگت بلتستان اور آزاد کشمیر کے صحافیوں کو اہلیت کے معیار میں رعائیت دی جا سکتی ہے۔ خواتین   صحافیوں کی درخواست دینے کے لئے حوصلہ افزائی کی جاتی ہے۔

فیلوشپ پروگرام کا دورانیہ تین ماہ اور فیلوشپ پروگرام کا وظیفہ ساٹھ ہزار روپے ہے۔

فیلو شپ کے حصول کے لئے  ،انگریزی  یا اردو میں مکمل  شدہ  ،مندرجہ زیل دستاویزات کا 5 جنوری، 2020 کو شام 5:00 تک موصول ہونا ضروری ہے۔

(فیلوشپ درخواست فارم ( فارم کے لیئے کلک کریں

تعلیمی وپیشہ ورانہ کوائف / سی وی

(اسٹوریز پروپوزل فارم ( فارم کے لیئے کلک کریں

کم از کم تین مضامین کے لنک یا تراشے جو پچھلے بارہ ماہ میں شائع یا نشر کیے گئے۔

درخواستیں دیئے گئے ای میل اڈریس پر بھیجیئے؛

درخواستیں دیئے گئے ای میل اڈریس پر بھیجیئے؛

fellowships@pakistanpressfoundation.org

]]> http://pakistanpressfoundation.org/https-www-dawn-com-news-1523835-its-sairbeens-final-goodbye-after-51-years/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=https-www-dawn-com-news-1523835-its-sairbeens-final-goodbye-after-51-years Mon, 23 Dec 2019 11:58:56 +0000 https://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/?p=97375 Continue reading "It’s Sairbeen’s final goodbye after 51 years"

Even some mainstream satellite Pashto channels air such programmes in which the unqualified doctors offer treatment for all ailments.

The homoeopaths have become radio jockeys for music and entertainment programme during which they take phone calls of people and advise them cure for diabetes, infertility, obesity, prostrate and other chronic sicknesses besides acting as salesmen to seek market for beauty products.

HCC asks Pemra to take action against such channels

The directives issued to all TV and radio channels on July 30 by Pemra have fallen on deaf ears as promotion of unqualified medical practitioners are in full swing. These channels and radios conduct interviews with unqualified doctors, mostly homoeopaths, who also take live calls from the listeners and advise them treatment. They also tell the addresses of their clinics.

The Pemra’s letter says that some satellite TV channels and FM radio stations are broadcasting advertisements pertaining to various healthcare services, some of which fall under quackery as they are not even registered with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Care Commissions.

All Pemra licence holders are obliged to ensure that all advertisements are in conformity with the laws for the time being enforced under clause 14(1) of Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisements) Code of Conduct, 2015.

A licence holder is also responsible, under clause 14(5) of the code, to ensure that no health-related advertisements are aired without permission of the federal or provincial governments.

The instructions by Pemra came in response to a complaint lodged by KP HCC on July 8 wherein it asked to check such illegal and unethical promotional tactics by the channels and radios to safeguard the people from health hazards.

The HCC was established under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Care Commission Act 2015 to regulate health services in both private and public sectors. “It has also been mandated to make provisions for safe and high quality healthcare services to the people of the province,” said the HCC’s letter.

It is mandatory to provide a mechanism for banning quackery in all its forms and manifestations and to establish the writ of the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“As per section 12 (2) of the law a private healthcare establishment shall not provide healthcare services without being registered,” it said.

According to it, as per section 2 (i) of the Act, healthcare establishment, means a hospital, diagnostic centre, blood bank, nursing home, maternity home, medical, dental, homeopathy, Tibb, acupuncture and physiotherapy clinic or any other premises or conveyance that is wholly or partly used for providing healthcare services in public and private sectors and is declared by the commission as a healthcare establishment.

The HCC has asked Pemra to issue directives to the respective channels to check their registration with the former before broadcasting them.

HCC chief executive officer Azaar Sardar told Dawn that it was the responsibility of Pemra to stop such illegal advertisements and ensure that they did not cause harm to people’s health.

“We will again remind the authority to take action because it is our duty to check unlawful practices,” he said.

Dawn

“The Radio Pakistan website was hacked between 3pm and 4pm. Some hackers claimed responsibility. However, the site has been restored,” said a senior PBC official.

According to the official, those accessing the website were greeted by a message which read, “Hello Admin, you are very secured. Appreciated your security. We got an eye on you. Expect us. Pakistan zindabad.”

Without sharing much detail, the official said the site was hacked by “CrashRulers”. The hack was also announced on Twitter by an account with the handle name TheCrashRulers.

The official also said it was still unclear who the alleged culprits behind the group were.

The CrashRulers also claimed through social media to have hacked several other government, and business websites, including Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket Board, Bahauddin Zakariya University and Zoom Petroleum Pakistan among others. The claims could not be verified.

Dawn

The march, organised by the Central Union of Journalists (CUJ), a regional body, has attracted attention of media professionals across the country.

“For almost three weeks now, India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir has been locked behind an iron curtain. What has compounded our worries is the unparalleled communication blockade that has sealed all sources of information,” said Abdul Hakim Kashmiri, an office-bearer of the CUJ.

“This situation compelled us to do something to draw the attention of the world community in general, and media fraternity in particular,” he told Dawn.

Arshad Rachyal, a former president of Pakistan Press Club UK, said he was happy that there were no divisions on the issue of Kashmir.

“The fact that the common cause of Kashmir has bridged gaps and brought rival groups and leaders on one platform is reassuring,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, Hafiz Afzal Butt, who heads his own faction of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), said the Pakistani media considered itself under a moral obligation not only to raise voice against the oppression of Kashmiris by India, but also to persuade the authorities to open up the territory for relief supplies via LoC.

“India-occupied Kashmir is facing a humanitarian crisis as life-saving drugs and other essential supplies have run out. This alarming situation demands immediate intervention by the international community and tomorrow we will highlight this need during our march,” he said.

The rally will leave Muzaffarabad at 9am on Saturday for Chakothi, 58 kilometres from Muzaffarabad. Mountains carrying Indian artillery overlook this town.

The marchers will carry two truckloads of medicines and dry ration in an attempt to pass them on to the Indian forces for the aid of people in occupied Kashmir.

“Let’s hope the Indian authorities accept these goods for the sake of besieged Kashmiris,” Abdul Hakim Kashmiri, the CUJ office-bearer, said.

Dawn

The British broadcaster’s announcement came after New Delhi scrapped an article of the Indian constitution granting special status to parts of the disputed Himalayan region under its control.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under lockdown since the day before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the change on Aug 5.

The BBC said the number and length of programmes would grow in a variety of languages spoken in the densely populated region of India-held Kashmir.

“The provision of independent and trusted news in places of conflict and tension is one of the core purposes of the World Service.”

The BBC said its News Hindi radio output would be extended by 30 minutes from Friday.

News Urdu — the official language of Pakistan spoken by Muslims who comprise the majority in Occupied Kashmir — will launch a 15-minute daily programme on Monday.

The World Service added that its English morning broadcasts would end an hour later than usual. The evening English-language news would start an hour earlier and end at their usual time.

The BBC said India is now its radio service’s largest market — picked up by 50 million people a week.

Shortwave transmissions travel thousands of kilometres and are able to bounce over mountains that dominate the disputed region.

Indian troops, meanwhile, detained a Kashmiri reporter working for a local newspaper in an overnight raid at his house in the Tral area of Southern Pulwama district.

According to his family, it was not clear why he was detained.

Irfan Ahmad Malik, 28, works for Greater Kashmir, the largest circulation daily newspaper in the occupied valley.

“The troops jumped over the compound wall of our house last night at around 11:30pm,” said Malik’s father, Mohammad Amin Malik, 57.

“We were asleep, they knocked at the door. We opened the door and troops asked for Irfan. He was taken along. We asked for reasons behind his arrest, they decline to say anything,” he said.

A spokesman for the Jammu and Kashmir government, Rohit Kansal, said he would seek information about the arrest.

“I just heard about the incident. We are trying to verify it,” he said.

More than 500 local leaders and activists have been detained in the past 12 days of the Indian crackdown.

Dawn

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter has condemned the brutal murder of the journalist and urged the law enforcement agencies to immediately investigate the murder and hold the perpetrators responsible behind this heinous crime.

According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), Nadershah was missing from the evening of July 12, later the security forces found his dead body from a well in Bagh-e-Per area in Gardiz on July 13.

Throughout the year 2019, Nadershah is the sixth journalist and media worker to be killed in Afghanistan.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter has condemned this action of closing the stations and urged the authorities to immediately reopen the stations.

According to the Journaliste En Danger (JED), the Directorate General of Administrative along with the Domaniale and Participation Revenue (DGRAD) and the Regulatory Authority of the Post and Congo Telecommunications (ARPTC), a provincial branch of Kananga, in Central Kasaï Province (Central DR Congo) has closed down the stations for non-payment of royalties, taxes and duties.

On May 3, 2019, DGRAD and ARPTC officials along with the law enforcement agencies sealed the stations.

The stations included, Kasai Horizon Television (KHRT), Channel 13, Shaloom, Moyo Radio, Full Contact Radio (FCR), Kasai Prosperity Broadcasting (RTPK), Kasai Voice, RT Amazone (RTA), Sozer, Christian RT (RTC), RT Espérance (RTE), RT Nsanga, Radio Lumière, Radio Pilote and Radio Réveil.

Soon after the ban, the owners of all these media organizations visited the provincial branch of DGRAD to investigate about the matter. The in charge of the service of the State required the owners to submit the evidences of payment of the royalties, taxes and taxes before hearing them on minutes.

Although, some of the directors of these media organizations agreed to give DGRAD guarantees to obtain the show of hands. But the head of the DGRAD refused this proposal.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter has condemned the shutdown of both radio stations and urged the management of stations and the regulator to discuss and try to resolve the matter and resume the broadcasting.

According to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Ghana’s broadcasting and telecommunication frequency regulator, The National Communications Authority (NCA) has shut down the two radio stations on May 9.

The NCA officials along with the law enforcement agencies stormed the premises of both radio stations that are associated with the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and enforced to shut down the station in the afternoon of May 9.

In a statement issued by NCA it was stated that the closures were resulted in line with Regulations 65 (1) of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011, L. I. 1991, which states that “A person shall not use a radio frequency without authorization from the Authority.”

Highlighting the 2018 ruling by the Electronic Communications Tribunal on the status of FM stations with expired authorization, the NCA added, “Companies whose authorizations had expired reverted to the same position as a fresh applicant,” adding that “these applications shall go through the required procedure for new FM Broadcasting Authorization.”

In less than two years this is the second incident that the regulator has taken action against the stations. In September 2017, the NCA carried out a massive crackdown against the broadcasting industry by closing down a total of 34 radio and television stations for various violations by enforcing Section 13 of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), Act 775.

NCA has also imposed fines on a number of stations ranging from GHC50, 000 (US$11,000) to GHC61, 000,000 (US$13.8 million) depending on the violation and the duration the infraction persisted.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali, has condemned the action taken against the journalist and Roots FM and urged the concerned authorities to immediately look into this matter and drop all charges against Costa. PPF also called on the government of Liberia to stop targeting journalists and media houses.

According to Center for Media Studies & Peace Building (CEMESP), Nathaniel McGill, Liberia’s Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and one of the closest associates of President George Weah has filed the “Action of Damages for Slander” against Costa and the entire Roots FM, trying to recover US$500,000.

The minister has also asked the Civil law court to immediately shut down the radio station.

On April 15, Minister McGill issued the Writ along with an attachment to the ministerial officer. The writ commands the Sheriff to inform Costa that he and his colleagues must file a “former appearance and/or answer” to the official of court till April 25.

In the attachment, Minister McGill’s lawyers has requested Judge Yusif D. Kaba to charge Costa and his co-defendants accountable for an amount of US$500,000 and also ordered shut down of his radio station.

Costa, a morning talk show host has always been critical of President Weah and often accused his officials of being involve in massive corruption, incompetence and bad governance.

Moreover, Costa has also alleged that government was delicately disrupting his transmission because of his critical views about President and the government.

Costa also wrote to the US Embassy in Monrovia and said, “On Friday April 12, 2019, while we were on the Costa Show at about 9:10 am, many of our listeners began to complain that they were suddenly hearing old clips from past editions, instead of our live broadcast on our frequency, Roots FM 102.7.”