K-P govt okays grants for tribal district press clubs

Ajmal Wazir says K-P govt setting up radio stations in merged districts

PESHAWAR: The provincial government has approved Rs2 million grant for each press clubs in the Newly Merged Tribal Districts (NMTDs).

Adviser to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister on Information and Public Relation Ajmal Wazir said this on Wednesday during a meeting with regional information officers at the Civil Secretariat.  The provincial government was taking concrete steps to promote journalism in the merged districts, he said.

The adviser also directed the regional information officers to improve performance of regional information department.

Wazir said that radio was the most effective means of providing information at the grassroots level and therefor the government was establishing radio stations in all merged districts. The Bajaur radio station was ready and would be inaugurated soon, he informed.

The provincial adviser lauded the Pakhtunkhwa Radio in Swat for creating awareness regarding coronavirus pandemic and providing timely medical suggestions to public.

The adviser further said the information department would be equipped with modern gadgets.

Later, talking to media regarding the coronavirus situation, the provincial adviser said that K-P government has taken all possible steps to implement smart lockdown in the province to contain coronavirus pandemic.

"Strict lockdown will increase difficulties of public as a large number of people in the province living below the poverty line," he added.

Wazir said that it was observed in some areas that coronavirus patients had not revealed about their symptoms for fear of being quarantined or isolated, the government had begun many programmes to educate people about the contagion, he stated. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2020.