Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Ms Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli has stressed the need to enhance media co-operation between Pakistan and Kuwait with a view to bring the peoples more closely.
Talking to a Kuwaiti media delegation in Islamabad on Monday she said although there is an agreement between the two countries to enhance co-operation in the field of media but there is need to energise it and enhance collaboration in private and electronic media.
She highlighted the role of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in facilitating both Print and Electronic media to ensure independent news coverage. She said media is enjoying unprecedented freedom in Pakistan and the government is committed to give free hand to media in its coverage. She said the Ministry is playing a role of facilitator only and working to project the view point of government of Pakistan. She said there is no restriction on news coverage for local and foreign media.
Secretary Information Shahid Rafi highlighted the role of Ministry of Information in facilitating the media so that they have an easy access for their coverage. He said the ministry is also playing a role to become a bridge between media, government and people.
Director General Radio Pakistan Tariq Imam briefing role of Radio said that thirty one Radio stations are working in the country while more fifty FM stations will be set up in remote areas and small towns to ensure hundred percent coverage of the population. He said these FM stations will work as community radio stations.
He said Radio Pakistan is focusing on promoting Pakistan's ties with the friendly countries, particularly the Muslim countries. He said we have an exchange of programme project with Kuwaiti radio and we send our programmes regularly to Kuwaiti radio for broadcast. He said Radio Pakistan can provide training facilities to the staff of the Kuwait radio.
Managing Director Associated Press of Pakistan Fazlur Rehman highlighted the activities of the news agency and said it has launched Arabic news service to facilitate brotherly Arab countries and stressed the need for more co-operation between Kuwaiti and Pakistani news agencies.
Director programme of PTV informed the delegation that PTV has launched four channels while three regional channels will go on air shortly in Punjab, Sindh and NWFP. He said PTV through its fifty-seven rebroadcast stations has enhanced its viewer ship up to ninety-five percent of population.
The leader of the delegation Ms Fatima Hasan Ali briefed the Minister of State about the state of media in her country and stressed the need for more collaboration between print and electronic media of both the countries.