SINCE the country got its independence, Radio Pakistan has played a pivotal role in broadcast. The very first announcement about the country’s independence was broadcast on Radio Pakistan at midnight. It was established in a small barrack of an intelligence school.

Programmes for students, farmers and families, especially Studio Number 9, music, interviews and innumerable motivational programmes were broadcast for the people. I remember we used to wait anxiously for Studio Number 9, and would finish all house chores before 9pm so that we could all gather around the radio set to have the fun that only a radio drama could provide.

Radio was reachable by all. Even in far-flung villages, people would gather near their fields under a tree with a single transistor, and listen to Ashfaq Ahmad’s Talqeen Shah that would make them overcome their day’s fatigue, and listen to information about agricultural activities and innovations. Radio encouraged social interaction, too.

Many great scholars, intellectuals and music maestros were associated with it; Z.A. Bukhari and Hafeez Hoshairpuri were the leaders of the pack.

With such a rich history behind it, Radio Pakistan needs to protect the treasure of its priceless archives that is being wasted and much of it might have been completely wasted by now.

It is important to set up a museum in its very first building on M.A. Jinnah Road, previously called the Bundar Road, and dig out archives for display and on-spot usage.

The original building of Radio Pakistan is in itself precious and should be preserved. It is just the building to house the proposed Radio Pakistan Museum with perhaps a gallery of legends, a room of recordings, a room to display how programmes were broadcast, etc. There are so many areas we can cover so that the masses may discover what a massive thing Radio Pakistan was in its heyday.

The authorities concerned should work on the project so that we may relish the fond memories and remember our legends.

Sameena Zaheer
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2022