PBC jams VOA Pashto service
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has blocked Voice of America’s (VOA) 4-hour Pashto language programme on the latter’s alleged deviation from agreement.
However, the US state-owned radio service continues to avail Radio Pakistan’s hour-long airtime for its Urdu transmission daily. “Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has blocked four hours Pashto transmission of VOA, while the Urdu service is still continuing,” official sources informed TheNation.
Under the agreement, VOA was allowed to broadcast its 30-minute Urdu programme in the morning transmission (6 am) and another programme in the evening (6 pm) from FM-93 network and other networks, besides a 4-hour programme in Pashto from Radio Peshawar.
According to deals, VOA would have to use PBC equipment and transmitters in Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore to air its transmission in Pashto and Urdu on Medium and FM waves. It was further learnt that ISPR also had held meetings with the PBC higher administration prior to the jamming of four-hour Pashto transmission.
The sources said that the government earlier conveyed its concerns to VOA about some deviation from the agreement in the four-hour Pashto transmission services.
“The programme has not been revived till then,” said the sources. In Urdu service, the VOA programme ‘Aap ki Dunya’ is aired in the morning transmission and almost same kind of programme is broadcast in the evening. It is pertinent to mention here that in 2004 under the Musharraf regime VOA programmes were allowed to be broadcast from FM-101 network of PBC for two hours daily from eight stations. These broadcasts were allowed without clearance and approval by any Ministry or government agency.
It is also relevant to note here that in 2006, the United States set up a transmitter in Afghanistan for the radio broadcast of US political and military propaganda in that occupied country and now four years later, the VOA programmes are being broadcast from Pakistan. When contacted, PBC spokesman Mubashar Majoka said that PBC had not leased out its transmitters to VOA rather it has sold airtime against a certain amount per year. It is a misperception that VOA broadcasts from FM network of PBC will be used to unleash US propaganda, he added. To a question, he said that VOA programmes were under strict regime of check and balance, monitoring and editorial guidelines to safeguard the national interests of Pakistan, he said adding that PBC had entire recording of VOA programmes and monitoring reports are prepared for critical analysis on daily basis to ensure that nothing is against our national interest. “Any violation of the agreement would result in the unilateral cancellation of the agreement by involving the breaking clause of the agreement, he said.
PBC has a history of cooperation with BBC, China Radio International, VOA, Duetsche Welle and is pursuing important agreements with Turkish Radio, he added.
Source: The Nation
Date:12/12/2009
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