History and Milestones of Radio Pakistan
History was in the making when the first time the words “This is Radio Pakistan” were spoken instead of “This is All India Radio” by Zahoor Azhar and Mustafa Ali Hamdani. The announcement was being made by the Pakistan Broadcasting Service (PBS) which later designated as Radio Pakistan. Therefore, Radio Pakistan came into existence at the same time as Pakistan.
Useful Information about Radio Pak
Soon after, Radio Pakistan entitled as the first official and most listening broadcaster of Pakistan. That was the time when Pakistan Television was not launched as yet.
Later on, in 1972, Radio Pak was converted into a body corporate under an ordinance issued by the President of Pakistan, Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. In the same year on April 27, the foundation stone of PBC headquarters building was also laid by the President.
When in 1973, the new constitution of the country had been formed and brought into the effect; the parliament passed the PBC Act 1973.
In 1997 Federal minister of Information inaugurated the computerization of the PBC news processing system and availability of the news bulletins on the Internet in text and audio form as well which are available at the official site of Radio Pakistan.
Radio Pakistan officially started its FM transmissions in October 1998 with the inauguration of the FM-101 radio station in PBC Islamabad and soon after it expands to new FM regular stations set up at Gawadar‚ Mianwali‚ Sargodha‚ Kohat‚ Bannu‚ and Mithi.
At the moment, Radio Pak is broadcasting its programs in 23 local and international languages.
At August 2014, studios each at Lahore and Peshawar radio stations were dedicated to Mustafa Ali Hamdani and Aftab Ahmed respectively. They were first announcers who announced the big news of the creation of Pakistan from Radio Pak, at midnight, on 13th August 1947.
After the inclusion of Pakistan Television, Private sector TV broadcastings and FM radio, the popularity of Radio Pak is not high as it was in the early days but still with the largest broadcasting network, its performance is quite phenomenal.
Radio Pak Stations with Transmission Capabilities and Years of Formation
- Rawalpindi-3 Radio Station with 500 Watt SW transmitter was formed in 1948.
- In the same year, Radio Pak Karachi was inaugurated with a 100 Watt SW transmitter.
- 1949, Radio Pak Rawalpindi was formed with100 Watt MW.
- Inauguration of a new broadcasting house in Karachi.
- Hyderabad radio station was formed in 1951 with a 1 kW MW transmitter.
- Radio Pak Quetta formed in 1956 with 1 kW MW transmitter
- 1960: Radio Pak Rawalpindi-2 with 1 kW SW Transmitter.
- 1970: Radio Pak Multan with 120 kW MW Transmitters.
- 1974: Radio Pak Khairpur with 100 kW SW transmitters.
- 1975: Bahawalpur Radio Station with 10 kW MW transmitters.
- 1977: The main broadcasting unit of Radio Pak in inaugurated in capital Islamabad with 1000 kW MW transmitters.
- 1977: Gilgit radio station along with Skardu radio station with 250 Watt MW transmitter each.
- 1981: Radio Pak Turbat with 250 Watt MW and DI Khan station with 10 kW MW transmitters.
- 1982: Faisalabad radio station with 250 Watt MW Transmitters.
- 1989: Inauguration of Sibi relay station with 250 Watt transmitter and Abbottabad relay station with 250 Watt transmitters.
- 1993: Chitral radio station with 1 kW FM transmitter.
- 1995: Radio Pak Larkana with 250 Watt MW transmitter.
- 1996: Foundation stone of Loralai station and Zhob were laid with 10 kW MW transmitters each.
- 2014: 400 kW medium wave digital transmitters newly installed at Radio Pakistan Peshawar under USAID program, covering KPK, FATA and some areas of Punjab.
A lot of renovation and upgrading work is in progress to extend the capabilities of the existing radio station with modern technology and digital transmission. It might prove to be the revival of the old era in the history of Radio Pakistan.
