PM Shehbaz Sharif visits gutted Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar

Peshawar: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday announced the immediate start of work for the restoration of the historic building of state-run Radio Pakistan here which was set ablaze during May 9 violence following the arrest of former premier Imran Khan.

Sharif visited the building of the national public broadcaster in Pakistan and lamented the way in which it was burned down.

On May 9, there were violent protests following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Khan that led to several deaths and dozens of military and state installations being destroyed by his supporters.

For the first time in Pakistan’s history, the protesters stormed the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and also torched the Corps Commander’s House in Lahore.

Radio Pakistan's headquarters was also set on fire in Peshawar. Radio Pakistan is the oldest existing broadcasting network in Pakistan.

Sharif, also the President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, expressed his dismay over the loss of a precious and historic archival record that was completely destroyed and torched by the violent mob.

“The way the archives were burned down... nations protect their identity with their lives so that the coming generations can benefit from it. But here the archives were burned down,” he said.

Director General Radio Pakistan Tahir Hassan briefed the Prime Minister in detail about damages caused to the structure by the angry mob for two days.

Sharif praised the bravery and national spirit of Radio Pakistan employees. He also distributed cheques of financial assistance for the two staff members who bravely countered the violent mob that attacked the building of the national broadcaster, media reports said.

He said the ransacking and arson of the Radio Pakistan Peshawar building severely hurt the twenty-two million people of Pakistan.

"Torching the national broadcaster and its archival record that was preserved since the independence of Pakistan by arsonists is not patriotism, but enmity with the nation," he said.

Sharif said those who were involved in, ransacking, torching and miscreants activities would be dealt with iron hands according to the law and the Constitution.

"There is no difference between the miscreants of May 9 episode and the terrorists and they will be punished accordingly law of the land," he said.

During the visit, Prime Minister Sharif also announced payment of the pending two months' salaries to Radio Pakistan employees.

On Wednesday, he said only those people who are behind the May 9 incident will be arrested.

Chairing the Federal Cabinet meeting in Islamabad, he said the culprits will be brought to justice as per the Constitution and the law.