The Pakistani Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb, has officially launched the installation project of a 1000-kilowatt Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) digital transmitter at Radio Pakistan’s HPT complex in Rawat, Rawalpindi.

The information minister emphasized that the Digital Radio Mondiale technology would revolutionize Radio Pakistan’s broadcasting capabilities, enabling it to meet modern needs as analogue and shortwave technology have become obsolete.

This initiative will increase the signal strength and coverage area of Radio Pakistan’s broadcasts to 52 countries in Central Asia, Middle East, Far East, and Eastern Europe, in addition to South Asia.

Countries set to benefit from Radio Pakistan’s DRM broadcasts include Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Iran, UAE, Qatar, and Turkmenistan.

Aurangzeb, who announced the project’s government support at the beginning of July, highlighted that the modern transmitter, based on DRM technology, will be capable of transmitting up to four different signals simultaneously.

The minister welcomed Radio Pakistan’s choice of the Digital Radio Mondiale standard and urged the Director General of Radio Pakistan to complete the project within one year, ahead of the planned two-year timeline.