Radio Pakistan says it is giving equal coverage to all parties

ISLAMABAD: A Radio Pakistan spokesperson while commenting on a story by Waseem Abbasi published in Daily The News Rawalpindi, Wednesday, made it clear that the organization is giving equal coverage to all political parties during election campaign.

The PBC spokesman termed contents of news in this regard as contrary to the facts. The spokesperson said Radio Pakistan had evolved its own code of conduct before the code of conduct of Election Commission emphasizing impartial coverage of the election activities.

The organization has recently broadcast interviews of Pakistan Tehrek-i-Insaf, Awami National Party and Jamaat-e-Islami chiefs and leaders of the other political parties. Heads and leaders of other political parties are also being contacted in this connection.

The spokesperson regretted that a national organization is being criticized without any reason. The spokesperson said that the appointment of Director General Murtaaza Solangi is not a political one but purely on merit and on professional grounds.

The spokesperson reminded that eminent columnist of Daily Jang Ansar Abbasi had also acknowledged in his column appeared on 28 May 2008 that the only appointment made by the PPP regime is that of Murtaza Solangi, who is a renowned journalist and broadcaster having vast experience of working in national and international media organizations.

The spokesperson said it is surprising that objection is being made to the appointment of the Director General after a long time instead of discussing performance of Mr Solangi. It seems that the concerned reporter is unaware of the steps taken by the Director General during the last five years to make Radio Pakistan a modern broadcasting organization, setting higher standards of professionalism in programmes and introducing modern technology. He said the reporter did not bother to contact concerned quarters of Radio Pakistan.

Waseem Abbasi adds: The News story was based on facts. The story only mentioned that Murtaza Solangi is a PPP supporter who was hired by PPP leadership soon after the installation of the government. This reporter still stands by those facts as Mr Solangi is a known jiyala and this fact is also reflected through his Twitter account where he frequently defends PPP policies and leadership.

This is also true that Murtaza Solangi was hired in June 2008 soon after the installation of PPP government and he has been given extensions on his post by the same government.What Mr Ansar Abbasi or for that matter any journalist had written for Mr Solangi should not be considered as a gospel truth. Anyone can make mistake. It is also pertinent to mention here that even Mr Ansar Abbasi’s story had mentioned Mr Solangi was a PPP Jiyala.

Source: The News