Americas Pakistan Radio Diplomacy
By Aamir Latif
Saturday, 09 October 2010 09:14
ISLAMABAD While traditional diplomacy and aid have failed to improve the US image in the south Asian Muslim country, the United States is turning to airwaves to win hearts and minds in Pakistans tribal belt.
The basic purpose of these radio channels is propaganda aimed at projecting the positive image of the United States and condemn its opponents (Taliban), Tahir Khan, an Islamabad-based broadcaster, told OnIslam.net on Saturday, October 9.
The US has launched two Pashtu radio channels - Mashaal (lit torch) and Diva (lamp)- to counter the Taliban propaganda and ease the rising anti-America hostility in the tribal region.
The content of the two channels, which are based in Washington and Prague, offers various attractions for Pashtun audience.
It includes news, talk shows, live telephonic conversation with common people, songs, and other programs focusing on local traditions.
But one thing is common in all the programs. They all are aimed at condemning Taliban and projecting US efforts for Pashtun population, said Khan.
Veteran Pashtun journalists and singers have also been hired by the channels, which are part of the state-owned Voice of America, to lure locals.
Haroon Bacha, a prominent Pashtu singer, who had abjured music over Taliban threats, was hired by Mashaal radio and has moved to Washington along with his family to work as the head of the channels entertainment section.
Earlier, the Voice of America had aired America Ghag (voice) program for Pakistan and Afghanistans Pashtun belt till three years ago.
However, the corporation decided to launch a separate channel for Pakistans Pashtun belt, stretching from the countrys northwest to southeast.
The two radio channels are seen as making inroads in winning the locals hearts and minds.
Though, the radio diplomacy has not achieved the desired results so far, we cannot term it a failure, Khan said.
No doubt, these two channels have revived radio in Pakistan, especially in Pashtun tribal belt. They (channels) have a huge audience there.
Thousands of free radio sets have been distributed in Pashtun belt of Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa and Balochistan provinces to attract the locals towards the US radio channels.
The reception of Diva and Mashaal is much better than the BBC, whose Pashtu service used to dominate undisputedly in the region till three years.
These channels have successfully involved the Pashtun population into discussion, which is their one of the biggest achievements, Tahir said.
Now, the people talk, and even some of them condemn Taliban on telephone.
Imtiaz Hussein, a Peshawar-based analyst, agrees.
Just imagine, where there are no newspapers, no TV, the local people have just radio, which is their sole source of information, he said.
If information is presented in a twisted and slanted way, and there is no other way to recheck that, it will automatically work in one way or other.
The analyst, however, sees that the US drone attacks in the tribal belt are undermining the radio diplomacy to improve Americas image.
There is no doubt that these channels have attracted a large number of Pashtuns, Hussein said.
But if you ask me how much productive they have turned out to be as far as Americas image is concerned, I would say very little.
Whatever (US) image these channels promote in months, one drone attack and the deaths of civilians ruin that effort within hours, he said.
US unmanned drones often launch attacks in Pakistans tribal belt on borders with Afghanistan to hunt Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.
A recent survey jointly conducted by New America and Terror Free Tomorrow, a Washington-based think tank,, shows that 90 percent of tribesmen oppose US attacks on their soil.
According to the survey, anti-US sentiments are running high in all seven agencies of the federally administered tribal areas (FATA).
Similarly, 75 percent tribesmen are against the presence of Al-Qaeda, while 50 percent are against the Taliban presence on their soil.
The survey also found that a majority of tribesmen believe that the US pullout from Afghanistan and a solution of the Palestinian problem can their opinions in favor of America.
America?s Pakistan Radio Diplomacy - Asia-Pacific - News - OnIslam.net
