Pakistan to set up radio, TV stations in tribal areas

Wednesday 24 Aug 2011
The Pakistan government is planning to set up radio and television stations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to provide tribesmen a window of opportunity to show the world their culture and traditions, and to counter extremism, The Express Tribune.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan informed a parliamentary panel on Tuesday that the government wanted to change the mindset of people by curbing extremism from the region. “We need social change through media technology,” she said.

Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting also endorsed the idea and passed recommendations for launching FM radio stations as well as a TV station in Fata.

Pakistan Television (PTV), Radio Pakistan, the Information Ministry and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government will finalise the recommendations to kick off the proposed projects, Ms Awan said. She added that the Information Ministry has planned to set up eight FM stations in the bordering areas and broadcast in various local languages.

A Senate panel, along with the Finance Ministry, will discuss the source of funding for the proposed projects. Chairman of the committee and JUI-F Senator Haji Ghulam Ali requested Director General Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Murtaza Solangi and PTV Managing Director Yousaf Beg Mirza to work out a strategy regarding the new plan.