CHITRAL: Radio Pakistan transmission in Chitral is yet to be restored since Sept 8 as a diesel-run generator supplying power to the station has been lying dysfunctional for want of fuel.

A relevant official told Dawn that the FM transmitter of the station was being run on diesel generator because of low voltage of electricity.

The transmitter of the medium wave was abandoned last year as it only covered a very limited area of the city, and the FM transmitter was installed to extend the reception area.

The radio station broadcasted programmes spanning over six hours daily in three languages of Khowar (Chitrali), Urdu and Pashto apart from relaying the news bulletins and discussions on the national hook-up.

The closure of the city radio station by the government by cutting off its fuel supply has received flak from the listeners who complained that they had lost an important source of entertainment.

The locals said they were fond of the programmes presented by the station and its closure would lead them to turn to stations of some other countries which broadcasted programmes in Urdu.

Dr Inayatullah Faizi, former president of Anjuman-i-Taraqi Khowar, said as Chitral had a large common border with Afghanistan there needed a strong border publicity apparatus in the form of radio station.

He said the people residing in the border areas had only a radio set for their entertainment and keeping abreast of the current affairs.

Regarding the loss inflicted by the closure of the radio station, he said Chitral district had a rich diversity of culture and languages where 14 languages were spoken and the transmissions of the local radio were indispensable for promotion and preservation of these languages.

“Radio is the most useful and effective medium to preserve a number of cultural traits in different valleys,” he said.

Mr Faizi said that it was for the second time during last two years that the radio station had gone off air, adding that last time it was restarted on the intervention of the general officer commanding of Pak Army in July 2015 when the district was devastated by flash floods.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2016