ISLAMABAD, Nov 26: More community-based radio stations are the need of the hour to highlight social issues with special focus on violence against women, Former Federal Information Minister Javed Jabbar said He was speaking as chief guest at the launching ceremony of radio programmes titled ‘Mujhe Bolney Do (let me speak)’ produced by Uks, an NGO, at a local hotel here on Saturday.

Mr Jabbar said Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) should promote private sector participation to address social issues in the country.

He criticized the absence of Pemra’s representation on the occasion. According to the organizers of the programme, they repeatedly requested the authority to send its representative but in vain.

He appreciated Uks for taking such a bold step as it had raised issues like harassment at work place, HIV/Aids and honour killings through the programmes.

Impressing upon other private radio channels, Mr Jabbar said they should follow Uks in addressing various local issues which he termed a great service to the masses.

He also asked Uks to further improve upon its initiative of training female journalists. All members of Uks production team are females.

Uks has produced 16 programmes on issues of violence against women to express solidarity with ‘16 days of activism against gender violence’.

The 16 days of activism is an international campaign against all forms of violence against women and girls. It started in 1991 and runs annually between November 25 — International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women — and December 10 — Human Rights Day.

Uks Director Tasneem Ahmer said all FM channels running in the country had been requested to air these programmes.

Talking about the production of the programmes, she said, it was a great challenge for all of us to touch upon issues like emotional violence, violence in educational institutions and customs and traditions which the Uks production team had done successfully.

She said many forms of violence against women were so deeply embedded in the socio-cultural-tribal structures that they were taken for granted and needed to be highlighted.