KARACHI, June 9: Federal Information Minister Nisar A. Memon said on Sunday that Radio Pakistan will transmit programmes in Hindi to inform the people of India that Pakistan does not want war.

Speaking at the inauguration of auditorium of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) at new Broadcasting House here, he said it was India which was forcing Pakistan to develop nuclear weapons for its defence.

“We developed nuclear weapon in self-defence. We would not have deployed our forces on border had India not moved its forces. Similarly, we would not have shot down Indian spy plane had our neighbour not launched it for spying”, he observed.

He said Pakistan wanted to tell India that it should do something for its 410 million population living below the poverty line instead of creating war hysteria.

The minister made it clear that Pakistan’s defence budget was not for offensive purposes but it was for defense.

He said Pakistan had won the battle against India on diplomatic front. The results of the battle were coming up and the country’s friends had started asking India to de-escalate, show passion and initiate dialogue with Pakistan, he said.

He said President Gen Pervez Musharraf had asked the PBC to set up its stations all over Pakistan so that every Pakistani should listen to its programmes. The message of Radio Pakistan should also reach across the border, he said.

He said that the budget for setting up new transmitters and stations had been approved by the government.

Nisar Memon said the voice of Radio Pakistan would be sent across the border in Persian, Dari and Hindi.

PBC chairman and Information secretary, Syed Anwar Mahmood, said the building had been constructed despite a cost over run and financial problems.

PBC Director-General Tarique Imam said the Broadcasting House, costing Rs140 million, had best available facilities, including multi-track digital recording system and 16-track recording system for CDs.

He said FM 101 stations would be set up in Peshawar, Hyderabad, Quetta and Sialkot.—APP