The first ever Radio Station established in Wana, headquarters of South Waziristan Agency has started six hours regular transmission in local dialect Waziri and Mehsud Pushto with effect from July 20th.
The initial transmission of the programmes is spread over three hours in the morning from 6 am to 9 am and three hours in the evening from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Director General FATA (Media) Shafiquzzaman said while talking to APP here on Monday. He said, the coverage area consisted of 20 kilometers aerial radius and the programme on air would be listened by 50,000 plus tribal population.
He told that programmes being broadcast from Wana Radio Station covered religion, development, eradication of social evils from the tribal society, health and education and entertainment.
He said, the Radio Station Wana has been set-up in a three room building being manned by four staffers two each from engineering and programme side.
DG FATA said, the credit for establishing Radio Station in Wana goes to Governor NWFP Lieutenant General Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah ((Retd) who fulfilled yet another promise made with tribesmen at a jirga held on May 28 last in Wana. The Governor is keen to develop a sound network of Radio Stations in tribal areas.
The establishment of Radio station a must for having a better-civilised society and character building of the youth. Moreover, it also helped to hunt local talent, he maintained.
To a question, DG FATA said, another Radio Station at Miran Shah in North Waziristan Agency is expected to go on air within a fortnight. Test transmissions from Miran Shah Radio Station are in progress for the last couple of weeks, he added.
All arrangements to start regular programmes from Miran Shah Radio Station have been completed. "We are waiting for completion of under construction broadcasting House there," he informed. The staff for Miran Shah Radio Station has already been appointed. In reply to a question, Shafiquzzaman informed that third Radio Station in FATA would be established in scenic valley Razmak, in North Waziristan. Since Razmak situated at a height of 6000 meters plus from sea level, therefore, its coverage area would be much more than Radio Stations at Wana and Miran Shah, he elaborated.
The tribesmen in Wana enthusiastically responded to the establishment of Radio Station as the listening ratio was much high in coverage areas, he told.
He said, senior broadcaster Faqir Hussain Sahir who retired as Director Programmes Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) and held various posts in his 36 years service in PBC is has been appointed Co-ordinator for Establishment of Radio Stations in FATA.
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