Climax of another controversy is another 'U-Turn' - Radio Pakistan is saved
Radio Pakistan headquarters still holds the great significance and glory as a symbol of state.
(WebDesk) – A pandemonium and uproar swirled in the discourse and triggered a debate over social media, TV screens and in public when the federal Information and broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhary had announced to lease out the national heritage and a state asset – Radio Pakistan for a very long period to private entity. He also expressed government’s will to transform the national asset’s building into a media university – an old wine in a new bottle - former president and General (R) Pervaiz Musharraf earlier in 2003 had also suggested to transform the Radio Pakistan into some university.
However, PTI government have to take another U-Turn after taking an absurd decision to turn a media alma mater to hundreds of thousands of media students, journalists, artists, broacasters and many for years and years.
Radio Pakistan has a privileged history and a substantial past in playing a significant part in the social, political and communal spaces. The national media of Radio in any country has an ample role as the language of the state and the representative of the people of state.
The headquarters of Radio Pakistan in sector G-5, Islamabad. Photo: File
The Controversy
Federal Information Minister moved a summary to the advisor to the PM for planning and development, Dr Ishrat Hussain to lease out the headquarters of Radio Pakistan. The headquarters building of Radio Pakistan is located in the G-5 sector of Islamabad.
Chaudhary proposed to shift the headquarters of Pakistan Broadcasting Cooperation to the Radio Pakistan Academy located in H-9, Islamabad.
Federal minister said that Dr. Ishrat Hussain is working on the re-organization of the national media hence his advice has been sought in this regard. He further unveiled his idea of establishing a media university of international standards however there is no plan to lease out the Pakistan Television Center.
Information Minister proposed to shift the headquarters of Radio Pakistan from the headquarters building inaugurated by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and located in G-5 Islamabad to the Radio Pakistan Academy in H-9 as the building is huge and unnecessary.
Information Minister said, “Radio Pakistan building was built in the 1950s when large transmitters were required. However now radio could easily be run from one room and doesn’t require a huge land. Pakistan needs research institutes instead of all this.” The federal minister, who gave an incorrect year of its construction, faced criticism from media persons.
The Minister on the floors of the assembly said more than 700 employees are working on contract in Radio Pakistan. Government is running short of revenue to release the salaries let alone pensions.
It is pertinent to mention that most of the employees in Radio Pakistan have been working on the contract basis since its birth. Still they are hired on small contracts of a month to three months to a year. This includes artists, vocalists, researchers, broadcasters, sometimes even administrative staffs. This is how hundreds of brains and ideas can be gathered to run a state broadcast institution like Radio Pakistan.
Criticism on Information Minister Decision
This latest decision of PTI led government received a stern back lash as yesterday hundreds of Radio Pakistan workers took to the street and record a stringent protest against government’s planning to lease out the historic building of PBC which is not only the headquarters to the symbol of state – Radio Pakistan but is also against the aspirations of millions of Pakistanis. The building has a historic importance.
Former officials of Radio Pakistan criticise government’s argument that the building is huge and unnecessary. They have a view point that the building is a state symbol and a key player in establishing state narrative, the building is home to many other publishing and broadcasting activities. Sources said that half of the Broadcasting Academy building was already leased out to some educational institute and in the rest of the building China-Pakistan joint radio channel Dosti’s transmission is already working.
Former Radio broadcaster and DG radio Pakistan while talking to the Dunya News Program Headlines said that State broadcasting institutions are not meant to earn the revenue.
Reforms are required in Radio Pakistan as well as they are required in other institutions of Pakistan. Radio Pakistan headquarter is a seven storey custom building and specifically designed edifice for radio and radio media activities, former DG Radio Murtaza Solangi
While addressing the concerns of Information Minister’s criticism on Radio Pakistan in the National Assembly, Solangi gave a sharp rebuke on misrepresentation of facts. He said the contract employees have always been the part of radio Pakistan for more than seven decades. Radio Pakistan has different types of employed categories. There is a category of employees which are hired n contract basis and called Artists which for a short period work like news reading, assist in news script drafting, researching and others in Radio Pakistan in small wages, whereas other are the full-time employees.
Most of the employees in Radio Pakistan have been working on the contract basis since its birth. Still they are hired on small contracts of a month to three months to a year. This includes artists, vocalists, researchers, broadcasters, sometimes even administrative staffs. This is how hundreds of brains and ideas can be gathered to run a state broadcast institution like Radio Pakistan.
He further said that the reforms are required in Radio Pakistan as they are mandatory in other institutions of Pakistan. The former broadcaster said that it is a seven storey custom building and specifically designed edifice for radio and radio media activities.
Former DG Murtaza Solangi expressed his concerns in Dunya News Program Headlines.
The opposition party rejected the government’s idea to lease out the national asset. PMLN spokesperson while addressing to the employees of Radio Pakistan said that Radio Pakistan is the celebrated platform that announced the creation of Pakistan, disowning it would not be allowed at any cost.
The former information minister said the PTI made tall claims of solving every crisis of the country yet they couldn’t find a way to find a solution that would retain one building of Radio Pakistan; the PML-N will not allow selling Radio Pakistan and other national assets that are signature symbols of national pride.
PTI led government received a stern criticism and a sharp rebuke over the decision to shift the headquarters of Radio Pakistan as it is a state institution and holds the great significance and glory.
Climax of another controversy is another U-Turn
After such harsh reactions, criticism and reprimands, Information Minister first in his address to the protesting employees of Radio Pakistan said that government is not going to shift in a month and consultation will be sought from the PBC’s employees.
In a latest development, Radio Pakistan employees protest to save Radio Pakistan edifice succeeds. Government announces to take the decision back to lease out the building of Radio Pakistan. Following negotiations of a representative delegation of employees of Radio Pakistan with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhary and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan at Parliament House in Islamabad, PTI govt takes back the decision.
Also Read: Government withdraws notification to lease out Radio Pakistan building
Radio Pakistan s employees protest to save Radio Pakistan edifice succeeds. Government announces to reverse the decision to lease out the building of Radio Pakistan.
Radio Pakistan is still continuing with its historical role in the promotion of culture and providing real time information to the people of far - flung areas of Pakistan. With its network of regional radio stations, the organisation is broadcasting programmes in 23 languages through the length and breadth of the country. The building of headquarters of Radio Pakistan was inaugrated by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1972 and is still holds the great significance and glory as a symbol of state and a major broadcasting network.
