Head of Paigham Radio station, Rohullah Hamim(right), speaks with his colleagues in the radio studio in Qalat, the capital of southern Zabul province. April 10, 2023
April 10, 2023
Qalat, Zabul province- In the absence of any local TV and print media in southern Zabul Province, Radio Paigham as the fifth private FM radio station was officially launched in the provincial capital Qalat, after two weeks of trial broadcasting.
The commercial radio station was founded with the investment of the journalist Ruhollah Hakimi and local activist Ahmadshah Mokhlis.
Head of Paigham radio station, Rohullah Hamimi told the Afghanistan Journalists Center(AFJC) that the radio station reports on local and national issues and offers unique and relevant content that’s been specially curated for local residents including women and children, and advocating for their rights as well as highlighting health, education, sports, and social issues.
He briefed about the efforts put in to set up the station and highlighted its salient features and said the people living in the provincial capital, Qalat, all 10 provincial districts as well as the Arghistan and Marouf districts of Kandahar province that fall in the radius of 100 km from the station would be able to access the radio programs.
Currently functions with a staff strength of 15, including 13 volunteers, the station will air programs in Pashto language on various topics from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. at FM 90.1 MHz every day, where some of the programs will be live streaming and the evening schedules would be a repetition of the morning program.
Media have flourished tremendously in Afghanistan, and in the western provinces as well in the last two decades and have played a crucial and effective role in providing information, awareness, and education programs to the local population.
AFJC executive director, Ahmad Quraishi welcomes the launch of the radio station, saying radio plays a significant role in raising the voice, thoughts, problems, and issues of local people who do not have access to mainstream communities and media.
“We hope that the Paigham radio will achieve its mandate and deliver on its editorial content, programs, and policies through robust dissemination of information, news, and social and educational programs in order to positively contribute to the communities of Zabul province,” said Ahmad Quraishi
While the local branch of Afghanistan's national TV(RTA) is not operating as of January 2023, and in the absence of private TV channels and print media in Zabul Province, local residents mostly rely on private radio stations. Currently, in addition to the Paigham radio station, there are private radios including Oshkula, Talim-u-Islam, Sheikh Mati, and the National Radio operating from the provincial capital, Qalat, and Surghar Radio in the remote Shahjoy district.