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Govt committed to allowing private radio, TV channels: Jabbar

ISLAMABAD: The Advisor to Chief Executive on Information, Javed Jabbar, on Thursday said that the government is committed to opening up airwaves of the country to the people by allowing private Radio and TV channels.

"We believe that the vitality and creativity of people must also be allowed on airwaves and the medium should not be the monopoly of the government alone," he said while addressing students at the Inter-Collegiate Competitions here at the Federal Government College for Women, G-10/4.

Jabbar regretted that for 52 years successive governments have been controlling the electronic media in Pakistan.

He referred to the great creative activity taking place at 1,600 private radio stations in Turkey and about 1,000 in Indonesia, and regretted that Pakistan has just 25 radio stations out of which only three are private. "We want to change that."

Touching the topic of the debate "Man is the creator of his own misfortune," Jabbar said the government is conscious that the media can be used to change fortune of the people because control of knowledge is misfortune.

He asked college teachers to organise extempore debates as it would bring up the best in students when they would be required to speak on diverse subjects on the spur of the moment.

The Advisor asked the losers not to be discouraged as every participant in the competition is a winner.

PTV Managing Director Yousaf Beg Mirza said that he was heartened to listen to lively arguments of the speakers both in favour of and against the proposition.

"The youth is the architect of the future of the country and we at the Pakistan Television would like to induct youth in creative spheres," said Jabbar.

PAF College, Chaklala, lifted the debates trophy with its student Nadia Habib wining to honours. Mehwish Yasmin of FG College for Women, Kashmir Road Rawalpindi, secured second place while Lubna Hafeez of PAF College, Chaklala, remained third.ÑAPP