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  Background

The earthquake that struck the northern areas of Pakistan on October 8th, 2005 was the worst to hit South Asia in over one hundred years. United Nations representatives in Pakistan are on record for stating that the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts pose far greater challenges in this region than that witnessed following the deadly tsunami of 2004. A major concern for relief organizations in the Pakistan earthquake has been their inability to reach many of the affected people living in the remotest areas. Most of these families are unwilling to leave ancestral lands, livestock and farm produce unattended during the approaching winter. The logistics of relief supplies cannot be assured as roads and tracks become less accessible with snowfall and declining temperatures. Timely and accurate information will play a pivotal role in saving lives and livelihoods among families in the affected regions. It is in this scenario that radio can and must play a key role in the relief and reconstruction efforts.

The advent of the private sector radio industry through government de-regulation in the past ten years has resulted in an information revolution throughout Pakistan. Radio continues to provide wider geographical coverage than other media forms. Our objective is to provide news, education and entertainment to affected populations over FM radio that links directly to and complements the work of relief agencies.