F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Saturday said a news story published by the Dawn Newspaper regarding Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s recent interaction with the media was “out of context.”
Solangi, in a video message, contradicted the news statement attributed to the prime minister by Dawn newspaper on “one-party rule”. According to Solangi, the publication of this news led to unnecessary comments from many journalists and created a false impression in certain sections of the media, suggesting that martial law was being imposed in the country.
He emphasized that some journalists drew conclusions from a statement that the prime minister had not made. Expressing his disappointment, Solangi pointed out that this was not the first time Dawn newspaper had published an inaccurate news story.
He also recalled a recent false news story by Dawn that had damaged the country’s image on the international stage. Solangi lamented that a respected newspaper had been consistently publishing incorrect news. He underscored the media’s right to criticize but stressed that attributing statements to individuals that they did not make was not in line with responsible journalism and freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, the Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi, in his address to an international conference in Amsterdam on Saturday, highlighted the significant achievements made by Radio Pakistan in its digital migration journey.
Addressing the international conference on Radio Resource Control and Management via Zoom, he said Radio Pakistan had achieved significant milestones in its journey of digital migration. Despite facing numerous challenges and obstacles, Radio Pakistan has been on its path of progress, he said while stressing that the broadcasting landscape was evolving globally, including in Pakistan.
He said digitalization of Radio Pakistan was currently in progress, with efforts were underway to digitize its entire archives. The minister said Radio Pakistan was transitioning towards Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) technology to align its broadcasts with international standards. With the installation of DRM transmitters, he said Radio Pakistan’s broadcast would not only be accessible throughout the country but also in neighboring nations.
Solangi noted that the DRM technology was expected to reduce Radio Pakistan’s operational costs by up to 40 per cent, with the added benefit of energy saving. The minister also highlighted an important feature of DRM transmitters, which included an emergency warning system capable of issuing immediate alerts during natural disasters. The initiative would also facilitate disaster management authorities in carrying out relief efforts in affected areas.
Solangi expressed his gratitude to the DRM Consortium, especially Chairperson Ruxandra Obreja, for their cooperation in introducing DRM technology in Pakistan. He expressed hope that continued collaboration between the DRM Consortium, Radio Pakistan’s management, and engineers would lead to a successful digital rollout in the near future.
The minister said with this historic achievement, a new chapter was added to Radio Pakistan’s glorious and historic 76-year journey. He congratulated the current Director General of Radio Pakistan and the DRM Steering Committee for their unwavering dedication and hard work, noting that their efforts were turning a dream into reality. (APP)
