LARKANA: Radio Pakistan, Larkana, is facing multifarious problems since its beginning which have never been resolved. The 14 modules of 100 khz transmitter installed at the Chooharpur Station out of 40 have burnt at the moment and no alternative electricity supply has been ensured to keep its transmission going round the clock as is done elsewhere.
It was learnt here on Thursday through credible sources as the station director did not respond to several calls. Radio Pakistan, Larkana, was inaugurated in 2017 after media reports by Sheeraz Latif ex-General General and Fayaz Baloch, ex-Director but its foundation stone was laid by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto in 1995. Its range is about 600 square kilometers or between 400 to 500 square miles and its transmission is even heard in India apart from Pakistan but it has been limited to FM service since its medium wave broadcasting has been inoperative due to negligence of the engineering department of the Radio Pakistan, sources alleged.
Upto 2018, its transmission was working perfectly but after one year, it started developing faults as the transmitter was run on 14 modules by the engineer instead of 40, sources alleged, adding the engineer wanted to shift the transmitter to Khairpur. FM range is about four kilometers and since 3rd May medium wave transmission is totally closed due to damaged 14 modules which have not so far been repaired or replaced despite information to the headquarters.
The sources further added that if the electric supply is disconnected from the grid station to carry out electricity load shedding or on outage basis for removing faults then the transmission of the Radio Pakistan is also closed down as the station has no standby generator facility which is astonishing. These sources further said that the generator supplied to the station has become outdated and no new generator has so far been supplied to ensure round the clock broadcasting.
Members of Writers Club, civil society and social welfare organizations have demanded of the federal government to immediately remove faults, ensure supply of a new diesel generator along with its running cost so that Radio Pakistan Larkana could be able to function properly.