Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi was given separate departmental briefings on Wednesday at Governor House on the performance of Immigration and Passport offices in the province and the historical and operational status of Radio Pakistan Peshawar. Officials of Immigration and Passport Department, including Zonal Head North Sheikh Ashfaq Ahmad and Zonal Head South Faiz-ul-Hassan, briefed the Governor on overall performance and service delivery.

It was informed that passport services in the province are being provided through two zones North and South with five regional passport offices, including Dera Ismail Khan. The briefing highlighted that 15 passport offices are functioning in DI Khan zone, while 24 offices are providing services in various districts of Peshawar zone. The Governor was also apprised of the upgradation of the Regional Passport Office DI Khan. Kundi was further briefed on online services, one-window operations, legal framework, fee structure and procedures for issuance and renewal of passports.

The Governor directed authorities to take up the matter with the Interior Department for increasing the number of regional passport offices in the province, terming it essential in view of the growing population. He also instructed that the case for establishment of a regional passport office in the newly created district of Paharpur, as well as a passport office at tehsil level, be taken up with the Ministry of Interior. Appreciating the performance of both North and South zones, the Governor said that a large number of people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reside abroad, while millions travel to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Syria for Umrah and religious visits.

In another briefing, the Governor was informed about the history and functioning of Radio Pakistan Peshawar. Station Director Tufail Ahmad, along with senior producer Sardar Azam Khan, briefed the Governor. It was shared that Radio Pakistan Peshawar was established on March 6, 1935, with transmissions initially starting from the Civil Secretariat. Later, on April 28, 1985, regular broadcasts began from the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation’s dedicated building, airing 16 hours of daily programming covering current affairs, political, social and cultural content.

The Governor was informed that the station’s transmissions are heard in remote areas of the province as well as bordering regions of Afghanistan. Broadcasts are aired in multiple languages including urdu, Pashto, Hindko, Khowar and Gojri, reflecting the region’s cultural diversity. Officials also briefed the Governor on damages caused to the building during the May 9 incident, adding that restoration work was completed in January 2026 and all departments have resumed operations.

Governor Kundi termed the restoration of the historic institution a positive development and appreciated the efforts of the authorities. He emphasized the importance of protecting national institutions, calling them an integral part of the country’s cultural and informational heritage. He also underscored the need to align Radio Pakistan with modern digital requirements to effectively engage the younger generation, and directed officials to further improve broadcast quality, promote regional languages and culture, and highlight public issues.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)