ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: ‘Kashmir Channel’ and ‘PTV Home Channel’ will start transmissions in which special programmes concerning Kashmiri women and children will be aired, said the PTV managing director, Akhtar Waqar Azeem, while speaking at a meeting with the private production producers held at the PTV headquarters.

At present, the private productions were being aired from three channels and there had been a number of complaints regarding standard of the private productions. “The PTV is a family channel and we have to care for the demands and feelings of our viewers,” he said.

He urged the private producers to come up with better ideas and programmes to attract viewers’ attention.

Muneeza Hashmi, the director programmes, said the 40th anniversary celebrations of the PTV would be held next year and on this occasion, a book containing history of the PTV would be launched.

She also said the PTV was launching a monthly Urdu magazine besides the quarterly Newsletter. She said a documentary on the 40 years of PTV was also being prepared to celebrate the occasion.

The federal secretary information, Syed Anwar Mehmood, said Pakistan Television Corporation was a national institution and committed to shoulder the responsibility to protect, promote and preserve moral and cultural values.

The official said the private sector had always been encouraged at the state-run electronic media.

He urged the private producers to discourage use of English language in Urdu programmes.

The private producers must refrain themselves from projecting sensationalism and depression in their programmes and instead work on promoting the morale of the nation, he emphasized. “There are a number of private TV channels in the market now but on PTV only those programmes will be aired, which will meet the highest standards of production and meet the set criterion.”

Our Reporter from Pindi adds: The PTV will soon establish Rs10 million artists welfare fund, said the managing director of Pakistan Television, Akhtar Waqar Azeem, while speaking at a Meet the Press programme on Wednesday.

He said the PTV was sending its technical staff abroad for training, as it had become imperative.

Besides, PTV in collaboration with other countries like Malaysia, China, Nepal, Iran etc, would produce documentaries. In collaboration with Iran, he said, the PTV would soon produce a documentary on the life of Allama Iqbal.