Child Abuse a Burning Social Issue The latest episode of Ranra (Light) addressed child abuse as a burning issue in the light of recent cases reported in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The program highlighted the main causes and solutions of the issue. The guests in studio Mr. Imran Takkar, an anthropologist, and Ms. Nuzhat, an educationist, termed growing extremism and access to religious content as some of the reasons for this. Mr. Takkar, while defining abuse, said that it is the power or authority exercised by weak individual, thus, a child is vulnerable to abuse anywhere. He added that our education system gravitates towards academic excellence with minimum focus on social development of students that might teach them how to deal with unpleasant situations. He said that in a broader sense, the main reasons behind child abuse are psychological, economic, social, and cultural issues. While discussing the solutions, the guests stressed that to minimize such incidents, parents and teachers must build confidence among the youth. They were of the opinion that as a society we need to acknowledge child abuse as a real issue, only then we can tackle it. Ms. Nuzhat emphasized that enough legislation is present on national and provincial level, yet the real issue of implementation remains. A report aired during the program shared the public opinion that a well-planned awareness campaign should be initiated to minimize the number of such incidents. Four calls and five text messages were received during the show. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-radicalization, strategic communications programme, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from...

Role of Media in Conflict Resolution The latest episode of Jwandai Jazbey (Alive Spirits) discussed the role of media in conflict resolution, along with journalistic ethics. Incidents are being sensationalized and exaggerated, particularly by electronic media, which is against the ethics of journalism. Media’s role is to inform the public, rather than to create panic. Mr. Umar Farooq, a reporter at Express Tribune, was the studio guest. He said that when compared to print media, electronic media is more irresponsible since it often runs the news without confirmation. This is why many news reports bounce back, creating conflict between reporters. Associate Professor of Journalism Department, Mr. Ali Imran Bangash, participated via phone call in the show. He said that the Journalism Department is going to introduce a conflict resolution related course in the syllabus. The department has also launched a diploma course in conflict resolution. A report by Ceena Naeem was played in the show and there were seven calls received during the show. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-radicalization, strategic communications programme, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and other senior officials. On Tuesday, Da Simay Jaaj gives an overview of the top stories from KP and FATA regions. Jwandai Jazbey airs on Wednesday and deals with issues of relevance to, and significance for, youth, students and women. Socio-cultural affairs are discussed in Ranra on Thursday. The primary objective of the show has been to underline...

The latest episode of Da Semay Jaaj (Regional Review) focused on various issues of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with reports from Kuram Agency, DI Khan and Charsadda, along with the feedback of live callers. A report from Charsadda by Aisha Tehseen, shared the findings of a murder case of a college principal by a student. The report said that the growing intolerance among the youth is a clear indication of extremist attitudes among them. The District Police Officer Charsadda, Zahoor Afridi, suggested that psychosocial support sessions should be offered at educational institutions to identify extremist attitudes early on to help mitigate such incidents. A report from D.I Khan by Shaikir Mehsud, shared the views of the public that democracy is about accountability. However, elected representatives have been inaccessible to the general public post 2013 election. Another report from Kuram Agency by Rehan Mohammad, shared the devastation caused by militancy in the tribal areas. It suggested that a concerted effort and coordination is needed to rebuild and promote girl’s schools in the tribal areas. Total 12 calls and five messages were received during the show. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-radicalization, strategic communications program, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 kHz from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and other senior officials. On Tuesday, Da Simay Jaaj gives an overview of the top stories from KP and FATA regions. Jwandai Jazbey airs on Wednesday and deals with issues of relevance to, and significance for, youth, students and women....

Delays in System of Justice and Solutions The latest episode of Jarga Maraka (Debate and Council) discussed the current situation in the existing judicial system and the recent reforms being carried out by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government. On the recommendation of the Cabinet, as per the amendments in the Criminal Procedure Code 1908 Act, the civil cases will be resolved within one year. The guests in studio, Abdul Samad Khan, Deputy Superintendent Investigations, Peshawar, and Advocate Sangeen Khan, emphasized that amendments alone are not enough. There should be improved coordination and communication between the prosecution, the police, the judiciary and prison. Abdul Samad Khan said that delays in reporting and mishandling First Information Report (FIR) has led to low conviction rates. Sangeen Khan said that due to the 61 vacant positions for judges, the courts are overburdened. A single judge cannot handle hundreds of cases daily, however, the amendments proposed in the Criminal Procedure Code 1908 Act will help in quick investigation and increased cooperation between parties.   A radio report by Inam Ullah Khan shared the sentiments of the people who have been in the follow up of their cases for years. They suggested that along with these amendments, the number of staff in courts needs to be increased and well trained to accommodate all parties involved in a case. AboutSabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-radicalization, strategic communications programm, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and...

Women as Equal Contributors The latest episode of Ranra (Light) featured the effective and equal contribution of females in social, political and economic fields in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The studio guests were, Ms. Farzana Ali, Bureau Chief Aaj TV, Ms. Asma Shadab, radio presenter, and Mrs. Shamama Arbab, ex-President Women Chamber of Commerce. They emphasized that women should be confidence and gain competencies for a more positive contribution in the society. Ms. Ali said that men should accept and acknowledge women as equals, possessing both the capacity and willingness, to contribute better in order to build a progressive society. Mrs. Arbab added that the full extent of women’s contribution to society is difficult to gauge without relevant data collection. Ms. Ali added that females face more challenges in our patriarchal society, despite that, they are contributing significantly. She further added that female politicians such as Aneesa Zaib, Miraj Humayun, and Dr Mehrtaj Roghani, have made their presence known in KP, though they are not from a particular constituency.   About Sabawoon Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-, strategic communications programme, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 kHz from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and other senior officials. On Tuesday, Da Simay Jaaj gives an overview of the top stories from KP and FATA regions. Jwandai Jazbey airs on Wednesday and deals with issues of relevance to, and significance for, youth, students and women. Socio-cultural affairs are discussed in Ranra on Thursday. The primary objective...

Youth Employment to Counter Extremism The latest episode of Jwandai Jazbey (Alive Spirit) highlighted the connection of unemployment with extremism among the youth. The guest speaker Muhammad Ismail, Coordinator Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Youth Program, shared the success received from the program. He was of the view that the youth should step out of their comfort zones. They should opt for new choices as advance with technology instead of only focusing on government jobs. He said that universities are producing qualified workforce, but accommodating them all in the public sector is difficult. He further added that poverty and unemployment are some of the main reasons people get involved in extremist activities. Hujras have been a source of learning and social opportunities, and if they are revived with the purpose of youth engagement, they can be very effective. Mr. Ismail concluded that Pakhtuns have blended religion and culture to an extent that at times the distinctive line disappears. The youth needs to understand the difference between culture and religion for sustainable peace. A radio report by Ceena Naeem focused on the role of the state in encouraging the youth for self-reliant initiatives. Five live calls and 16 text messages were received. About Sabawoon Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-, strategic communications programme, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 kHz from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and other senior officials. On Tuesday, Da Simay Jaaj gives an overview of the top stories from KP and FATA regions. Jwandai Jazbey airs on Wednesday...

The latest episode of Da Semay Jaaj (Regional Review) highlighted various issues from all across Khyber Pakhtunkwa (KP). 21 callers from different areas of KP and Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) shared their grievances, mostly about load shedding. A report from Dera Ismail Khan discussed the issues faced by the local bodies’ representatives. Bushra Rahim, Deputy Director Local Government Department KP, said that more than 7,000 female government representatives need to be trained on budgeting. A female councilor, Dilshad Baigum, said that women in the government still face the same challenges as they did before in our patriarchal society. A report from Mohmand agency shared the concerns of parents regarding basic facilities in more than 600 schools of Mohmand agency. Another report, from Swat by Anwar Anjum, shared the problems faced by home-based female workers. AboutSabawoon Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-radicalization, strategic communications programme, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 kHz from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and other senior officials. On Tuesday, Da Simay Jaaj gives an overview of the top stories from KP and FATA regions. Jwandai Jazbey airs on Wednesday and deals with issues of relevance to, and significance for, youth, students and women. Socio-cultural affairs are discussed in Ranra on Thursday. The primary objective of the show has been to underline the criticality of constitutionalism, fundamental rights, public accountability and the rule of law for countering extremism illegalities of all forms....