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Tag: bbcurdu.com

  • 10,000 Pakistanis take part in BBC audience campaign

    10,000 Pakistanis take part in BBC audience campaign

    MUMBAI: The BBC’s attempt to create further awareness about its radio service in Pakistan has paid off. Around 10,000 people took part in the BBC Urdu service’s month-long audience campaign across Pakistan.

    Its campaign BBC Sangat… Kahain Aap Sunain Hum (You Say, We Listen) covered thousands of kilometres to meet the Pakistani audiences face-to-face, engaging people from local communities in discussions on the issues affecting their lives.

    The events held in Baluchistan, Sindh, Punjab, Kashmir, North-West Frontier Province and Northern Areas were broadcast daily on the BBC Urdu service’s popular programme, Sairbeen, and featured online on the world’s leading Urdu-language site, bbcurdu.com.

    BBC Urdu acting head Waheed Mirza said, “It was a great learning opportunity for our programme-makers, as they came face to face with people who listen to our output. It was also heartening to learn about the many ways the BBC touches upon its audiences – and the importance they attach to how we report news.”

    People travelled hundreds of miles to meet their favourite presenters and share their views. BBC Urdu Radio editor Shahzeb Jillani says that meeting them was exhilarating. “These people humbled us with their enthusiasm, their respect for the BBC brand and their appreciation of the quality of broadcasting we provide.

    “The campaign also enabled us for the first time to meet our new listeners: people in their early-to-mid twenties. Many of them are university students: serious, well-informed, curious about the world, and looking to us to widen their knowledge and enhance their aspirations.”

    BBC Urdu broadcasts three times a day. Its flagship programme Sairbeen which airs everyday provides news and current affairs. Jahanuma, which starts at 6.30 am, is a 30-minute daily breakfast programme which sets the day’s news agenda. At the end of the day there is Shabnama. This half an hour show provides a round-up of the main events starting at 10.30 PM In addition, BBC Urdu brings listeners weekly magazine features on sports, science and economy that can also be accessed through www.bbcurdu.com.

  • bbcurdu.com poll predicts slim win for PPP

    bbcurdu.com poll predicts slim win for PPP

    MUMBAI: A BBC World Service commissioned pre-election poll in Pakistan forecasts a narrow lead for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the forthcoming general elections

    Mian Azhar of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) (Quaide Azam) (Q) is expected to be the next prime minister. The opinion poll commissioned for bbcurdu.com is the biggest of its kind in Pakistan and was conducted in advance of the general elections on 10 October 2002.

    The poll demonstrates major regional differences on issues such as allegations of pre-election rigging, the ban on militant organisations and the performance of the military government. It was conducted in 99 cities and towns and more than 100 villages throughout Pakistan. A total of 2,827 Pakistanis of voting age were asked their opinion about the elections in face-to-face interviews. A clear majority of respondents did not believe the elections would be completely free and fair, however 24 per cent of those interviewed said they either didn’t know or didn’t want to comment.

    A majority of voters in Sindh province believed that the PPP would win while the PML (Q) enjoys much greater support in Punjab and Balochistan. According to the survey, the PML Nawaz Group (N), which once enjoyed a strong support in urban Punjab, appears to be losing its mass appeal. Only 12 per cent of respondents thought that it would win a majority of seats, with only 18 per cent of Punjabis predicting its win.

    In response to the question of who is going to be the next prime minister of Pakistan, Mian Azhar emerged as the front runner with 17 per cent lead, followed closely by Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Farooq Laghari and Imran Khan. Women respondents put Imran Khan as the front runner to form a new government. He also enjoyed more support in Sindh than Mian Azhar and Farooq Laghari.

    The survey also revealed the continuing strength of traditional political allegiances. Benazir Bhutto was rated both the best and the worst prime minister over the last two decades. Nawaz Sharif emerged as both the second best and the second worst prime minister over the same period. 54 per cent of the respondents believed that Benazir Bhutto should have been given permission to return and participate in elections. Nawaz Sharif scored slightly lower with 50 per cent.

    General Pervez Musharraf enjoyed considerable support in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) with 60 per cent saying his tenure has proved good for the country. When asked to compare General Zia and Musharraf, Punjabis found General Zia a better ruler than Pervez Musharraf. However, 55 per cent of respondents in Balochistan preferred Musharraf to General Zia.