• Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation fails to respond to fault reports
• Listeners call for federal govt’s intervention

LARKANA: The Medium Wave radio station in Larkana has been off air since January 2026, while the Pakistan Broadcasting Corpo­ration (PBC) headquarters has failed to respond to repeated requests and correspondence from local officials.

Sources at PBC House Larkana told Dawn on Wednesday that the 100-kilowatt transmitter installed at Chuharpur village has been lying idle due to a fault. Transmission on 1053 kilohertz Medium Wave has remained suspended.

In a letter dated Jan 14, 2026, the In-charge of the High Power Transmitter (HPT) in Larkana informed PBC headquarters that the Medium Wave transmitter developed a fault during routine operation at 9pm on Jan 12, 2026.

The main power supply from the grid station tripped, which caused the transmitter to go off air. Sources said the transmitter had already been facing continuous faults, reducing its output from 100kW to between 15 and 20kW.

The Frequency Modulation (FM) transmitter, installed in Larkana in 1995, has also been affected after the shifting of its tower from PBC Larkana to the High Power Transmitter relay station in Chuharpur in 2025. A PBC official described the Medium Wave transmitter as being “on ventilator”.

Sources said the relocation of the Studio Transmission Link (STL) from its original site in Larkana to the HPT had also disrupted FM 101.4 transmissions.

Another source at the HPT said the transmitter’s motherboard developed a fault in 2021 and has not been replaced since. No spare parts have been supplied since 2017 to handle emergencies, the sources added.

“We do not have the funds to set things right,” a radio official told this correspondent.

In a written communication to the Deputy Controller HPT Landhi, the Deputy Controller HPT Larkana stated that on Jan 13, 2026 voltage fluctuations were observed in the main power supply, causing noise in the three-phase AVR system. A complaint was lodged with the Line Superintendent of SEPCO Larkana Subdivision. The fault was resolved after sunset and voltage stabilised. However, when attempts were made to restore transmission, the transmitter failed to remain on air.

He further stated that no power supply readings were available in the circuit, and the matter was reported to the Regional Coordinator (Sindh).

The communication added that the main AUI system of the transmitter has remained out of circuit since 2021 due to the faulty motherboard, resulting in a complete loss of transmitter monitoring.

Listeners have urged the federal government to intervene and ensure the early restoration of the Medium Wave transmission of PBC Larkana.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2026