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Jabbar asks PBC

to present

pluralism of views

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Chief Executive on Information Javed Jabbar on Monday asked Radio Pakistan to use its existing freedom 'more vigorously and assertively' in presenting pluralism of views in a constructive manner.

Outlining a number of challenges facing Radio Pakistan in the modern era of high-tech communication and in view of future competition with private channels, Jabbar said the national channel should improve the contents of its programmes to enhance credibility.

"The government, which is the first to acknowledge the reality of free radio and TV channels, will support you in using the existing freedom more vigorously Ñ you have to be a little more assertive in presenting pluralism of views on a variety of subjects," he stated at the PBC's programme conference of station directors.

Jabbar asked the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation station directors to shrug off the 'psychological restraints' that are a result of strict political control exercised by the majority of past governments.

The present government, he assured, will have a deeper understanding of the problems facing the PBC but underlined that at the same time, its employees will have to attain higher professional standards to taken on the challenges lying ahead.

Jabbar said the government is committed to the freedom of electronic media and that transfer of the electronic media from the traditional control to freedom will be a 'delicate' process.

He also referred to the challenges facing the PBC on financial front.

"The internal challenges PBC faces include terms and conditions of service, provision of facilities and development of human resources".

Jabbar emphasised that the financial benefits being enjoyed by the PBC employees should be improved. "There is a contradiction between the national role the PBC plays and the resources that have been made available to it," he noted, saying, that has been due to the constant historical failure on part of most of the past regimes to endorse and ensure PBC's development.

PBC Director General, Syed Anwar Mahmood, earlier, said that the PBC directors' conference is an institutionalised platform that reviews past performance and looks for ways to improve the quality of its future programmes.

"We have faced some testing times and now we are fully confident that PBC will come up to expectations, while taking on the future challenges from this platform which is an important opportunity for interaction and integration of ideas from all parts of the country," he added.ÑAPP