Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) Peshawar the erstwhile All India Radio Service was set up by British authorities on March 6 in 1935 in Peshawar to counter the Russian propaganda in the region because they (Russians) had set up radio Kabul in 1925 during the reign of the King Amanullah Khan in Afghanistan.

It was a great day in the life of Pashtuns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata as the radio helped give boost to their unique art, culture and lifestyle besides creating political and social awareness among them.

Pashto music, drama and literature took a giant leap when radio set reached their hujras and homes. Since its inception Peshawar Radio has been contributing tremendously to Pashtuns social, political, literary and cultural life. Radio was a place frequented by scholars, intellectuals, writers, noted poets, musicians and artistes of high repute.

But the unfortunate day came when a 300-kw powerful transmitter installed in 1974 at Pabbi near Peshawar suddenly developed a serious technical fault in 2010.  It was an old model transmitter used to work on the expensive Valve/Tube system.  The 1-kw standby transmitter was put into use on emergency basis that could also be run on the power generator.

According to a reliable source at the Peshawar Radio, as a result of this fault the coverage area of AM radio was reduced to a minimum 4 km radius; listeners in even Peshawar city were unable to clearly catch up the peak-hour programmes.

“Eighty per cent listeners in KP and Fata have already tuned to local FM and foreign radio channels. No one even the high-ups in Islamabad took serious notice of this strategically vital issue,” the source added.

The  engineers concerned contacted related companies in different countries for its spares to get  it repaired,  however, the end response that they received was that its spare parts were not available anywhere in the world and the transmitter had to be replaced altogether. Having no other option the authorities in Islamabad went into an agreement with USAID for a brand new powerful 400-kw digital transmitter to be installed at Chughulpura near Peshawar. A tragedy occurred in September, 2010 during dismantling of the old tower at the Chughulpura site when a 500–foot high antenna fell down killing three helpers on the spot.

Tragedy struck again in June 2011 killing another helper and injuring three others during the installation of the new device.

This time the tragic incident turned into a controversy as to whether the installation process was wrongly executed or the new device was faulty. “The USAID conducted an inquiry into the matter and established in its final report that there was no technical fault in the device and that its installation had not been done properly and withdrew its subcontract, sent another antenna for reinstallation but in the meanwhile the local installation company began building up pressure on PBC bosses in Peshawar to release its reaming $180,000 otherwise reinstallation by any other company will not be allowed,” the source revealed.  Both the subcontractor and the local installation company are now in the court but the controversy delayed the bringing of new antenna from Karachi by as long as six months, it said.

The source said that Peshawar Radio’s five studios, Talk 1, Talk 2, Feature, Drama and Music, are outdated and even the condition of its music library is deplorable.

Due to unavailability of the Central Production Unit (CPU), the newly collected about 4,000 old rare Pashto songs’ spools, mostly contributed by listeners during a popular Pashto programme still on air for more than a decade ‘Tair Hair Awazoona’ [The forgotten voices] could not be preserved and computerised.

“Even if the device starts functioning it will not be effective till the studios with disconnected phone lines and outdated equipment are not digitalised thus radio will not be able to recapture its once avid listeners until it is done well in time, they say the antenna has been brought from Karachi but nobody knows when will work start on it,” the source said.

The contract workers with PBC have not been paid for the last six months which according to the source was adversely affecting the overall performance of the radio.

Farhad Kaka a resident of Regi village of Peshawar and an avid radio buff told this reporter that Peshawar Radio once enjoyed the glory for its quality transmission in the whole region, hundreds would throng the hujras for listening its programmes. “Now I cannot listen to Peshawar Radio properly for its voice is not clear. I switch over either to New Delhi, or Deva and Mashal radios for interesting Pashto programmes. Also the State-run TV and radio channels have lost their credibility due to their poor performance,” he said.

An Engineer connected with the installation project while pleading anonymity told, “We local Engineers are assisting with American experts in the project, work on it will start soon.”

Rahim Khan Afridi, 30, resident of Bara, Khyber Agency said: “Today most people in Fata listen to foreign radios for current affairs, music and cultural programmes. First Peshawar Radio is not being reached here clearly, secondly correct picture of the situation is also not being presented on PBC, Peshawar, if serious steps are not taken the militant’s FM channels can also emerge any time,” he feared.

Station Director (SD) PBC, Peshawar Laiqzada Laiq when contacted told Dawn: “The most powerful digital 400-kw transmitter will soon start work in a couple of weeks which will cover even Middle East and Afghanistan while steps are underway to improve the quality of various programmes. Our typical listeners are still intact. The KP culture department has pledged Rs600,000 for renovation and computerisation of the Rafiq Shinwari Music Libaray that also will serve as Central Production Unit. The ‘Intermedia’ a private organisation has recently prepared report on the digitalization of all our studios.”

Mr Laiq added that 80 per cent payments had been paid to the radio workers while the rest would be cleared after further release of funds from the headquarters. The sexagenarian Farhad Kaka said: “Radio is still a powerful source of entertainment, information and education in 70 per cent rural population where cable network is not available if radio Peshawar comes on air once again I assure you most people will retune to it,” he said.