ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday announced that PTV’s Multan Centre would be upgraded in line with modern requirements to effectively project the cultural identity of south Punjab at the global level.

He was addressing a ceremony on the occasion of Pakistan Television’s 61st anniversary.

He said the PTV is not only a national institution of information and entertainment but also a true representative of the diverse cultural, linguistic, musical and literary heritage of Pakistan.

He said the establishment of PTV Multan marked a milestone in the promotion of region’s civilisation, the Saraiki language, music and literary heritage.

He further said that the inauguration of PTV Multan Centre in 2011 was part of a broader vision to provide a national platform for regional music, literature, poetry. Gilani expressed hope that the institution would continue to uphold its legacy and move forward with excellence.

Recalling his long association with PTV, Gilani said that the golden-era dramas of Pakistan Television were widely admired not only across Pakistan but also in India and other countries. He shared that prisoners in jails eagerly waited for PTV dramas, which served as a source of hope and encouragement for them.

This sentiment, he added, motivated him during his tenure as Prime Minister to establish the PTV Centre in Multan.

The ceremony was also attended by Director Programmes Saifuddin, PTV Multan General Manager Shafqat Abbas Malik, renowned singer and poetess Suraiya Multani, Shakir Hussain Shakir, and a large number of distinguished citizens, poets, writers, journalists and people from various walks of life.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2025