PBC closing Multan HPT

Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation has decided to close down Radio Pakistan's 120-kilowatt high power transmitter (HPT) favouring Kashmir cause, broadcasting news bulletins and entertainment programs from Multan and Hyderabad and to stop their promotion in far-flung Indian areas and Middle East regions, it is learnt.
The closing of HPT would give a free environment to Indian radio stations in winning the one-sided media war in the region to exploit the situation in their favour.
The closing down of Multan HPT, which is not only the source of news bulletins but it is also a major source of regional cultural spread abroad, would allow import of Indian transmissions compared to export of Pakistani coverage.
Sources said that Multan HPT has been sent to Lahore while Hyderabad HPT had already been sent to Peshawar.
Family entertainment (FM) transmissions with very low power range transmitter would be installed in place of HPTs, said sources.
The decision would make Indian transmissions accessible in Multan, South Punjab areas compared to HPT of Pakistan completely inaccessible in Indian regions.
There will be no substitute of one-sided Indian propaganda, observed communication experts. However, the PBC officials argued that HPTs were being closed down due to unavailability of spare parts or their availability on very high rates, which convinced the PBC to close down HPTs.
The 120-kilowatt HPT was installed on Bahawalpur Road near Larr in 1971 following Pakistan-India war to counter the transmissions of All India Radio (Akashwani) and to plead Pakistan's case in electronic media.
The present HPT station is sprawled over 55 acres land on the road of which possession by land mafia is being feared following removal of high powered transmitters.
The HPT transmission used to cover a wide range of Indian areas, even provinces beyond from Delhi and Middle East countries, and listeners from these regions were responding to radio Multan through their letters and mails.
The Indian transmissions include radio Jhalandhar, Wali Kandar, Rohtak Kandar, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Gujrat and Sawat Garh Kandar which can be clearly listened daily in Multan and other areas on medium wave after sunset.
When contacted, Radio Multan deputy controller Javed Butt said that HPT spare parts, coils manufacturing companies have increased prices which are beyond budgetary allocations.
He said that about 32 years old Multan HPT needs immediate repair but the expenditures are beyond reach.