Role of media vital in country’s economic, political progress: Gilani
ISLAMABAD, Feb 8 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday that media as the fourth pillar of the state was playing a vital role in the political, social and economic progress of the country. Addressing the launching ceremony for Saraiki news bulletin of Radio Pakistan here, he said that Pakistan had been facing many internal and external challenges, including terrorism, energy crisis, price hike and unemployment.
By informing the public about the real situation, Radio Pakistan can make people more determined, patriotic and resolute, he added.
The Prime Minister read Saraiki news to launch the new service. Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira and Minister for Labour Syed Khurshid Shah attended the event.
Gilani lauded the role of Radio in giving timely information to people about worst floods in the country’s history, during the campaign against terrorism in Swat and Waziristan and starting of emergency radio station FM 93 to deal with the situation of Attaabad Lake in Gilgit.
He said that Saraiki was a centuries old language and through it religious scholars spread the message of peace, love and brotherhood.
Saraiki, which is spoken by 70 million people of Pakistan, is the chain of four provinces, he said adding that he used to speak with leading politicians from all parts of the country in Saraiki.
He congratulated the administration and workers of Radio Pakistan and hoped that this national institution would continue to play its role in the progress of the country.
He said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had always played a frontline role for freedom of expression and in this connection during every government, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto took revolutionary steps for press freedom.
Shaheed Bhutto gave the status of corporation to Radio Pakistan in December 1972, put foundation stone of its headquarters building, gave medical facility and right of union to employees, he said, adding that a network of radio stations was set up by PPP governments across the country so that the nation could remain informed.
He appreciated Radio Pakistan for giving a new direction to programmes on agriculture, education, culture and social issues.
The Prime Minister said that radio transmission reached 100 per cent population of the country and this medium was pivotal in raising awareness about the need to raise literacy levels, fight diseases and keep the environment clean.
He directed the ministries to work with Radio Pakistan to achieve their policy goals.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the services of Radio for promoting national thought and fine arts and noted that many of the eminent personalities of literature, poetry and culture began their artistic journey from Radio Pakistan.  
The Prime Minister announced 50 per cent raise in the salaries of employees of Radio Pakistan.
He directed that work on Pakistan Television in Multan should be completed and more radio stations should be established in important places of the country.
The Prime Minister assured that the government would extend all assistance to make Radio Pakistan a modern electronic medium.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said that radio was still the most popular medium in Pakistan despite the presence of television channels.
He underlined the need for more attention on the development of radio.
He recalled that many leading personalities of drama, poetry and culture began their career from Radio Pakistan.
The Minister said the present era was of Internet radio and Radio Pakistan needed new equipment to increase its presence.
Kaira said in view of financial difficulties, funding for many development projects of Radio Pakistan had been curtailed.
He said that new radio stations airing programmes on medium wave would be set up and the existing stations would be shifted from analogue to digital technology. Two radio stations in Hyderabad and Larkana would be upgraded to medium wave.
He said that Radio Pakistan as a state institution needed government patronage as it was not a profit earning organization.
The Minister said that the present government had increased salaries of its employees by 110 per cent.
As the employees of Radio Pakistan were facing price hike, they should also get the benefit of 50 per cent raise of salary as given to other government officials in the last budget, he added.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi gave an overview of the ongoing and completed government projects by in Dera Ismail Khan, which is a part of the Saraiki belt.
He said that the Saraiki was spoken in all the four provinces of Pakistan and in neigbouring countries of India and Afghanistan.
The Deputy Speaker said the government was not against more provinces but the process to create new entities should be carried forward in a democratic manner.
He appreciated Prime Minister Gilani for granting development projects to all members of the National Assembly without any discrimination.
In his welcome address, Director General of Radio Pakistan Murtaza Solangi shed light on the history of the organization and its role in critical times in the country’s history.
He said that at present Radio Pakistan was running 34 FM stations and its FM 93 service was very popular among listeners.  Many of its channels could be listened through live streaming on its websites.
Last year, Radio Pakistan, which carries news bulletins in 22 local languages, started broadcasting news in Tamil, Sinhalese and Nepali languages and it also plans to air news in Turkish, Russian and Arabic languages. A modern digital recording studio has also been set up, he added.