Written by: Shaharyar Ahmed
Posted on: May 30, 2018 | 
| 中文
Murtaza Solangi with China Radio International
Mr. Murtaza Solangi (MS) is a renowned Pakistani journalist, currently working at Capital TV, a local news channel. He is one of the few journalists who have promoted the bilateral relations between Pakistan and China. His initiative of a radio channel and a web portal titled “Dosti (Friendship)” has provided a platform for cultural awareness among the two countries. Team Youlin Magazine caught up with him for a one-on-one interaction.
Please tell us about your journey as a journalist.
MS: As a young man, I had an interest in nearly everything, but my entry into journalism was through culture and politics. In mid-1980s, during the martial law of General Zia-ul-Haq, I was active in “Brechtian Theatre,” named after the great German playwright Bertolt Brecht, who was an anti-Nazi progressive individual. Inspired by his work, we established the “Brechtian Group” under the leadership of Mr Aslam Azhar, the founder of Pakistan Television (PTV). This laid the foundation for my entry into journalism. I was a member of the team of young reporters, who launched The News International in Karachi on 11th February, 1991. In the start of 1993, ethnic warfare started to take place in the city of Karachi, with conditions worsening each day. This was extremely disappointing for me and after thinking long and hard about the situation, I moved to the United States to study radio broadcasting. After completing my 2-year degree, I landed a job in Voice of America (VoA) Radio TV online, both English and Urdu and worked there for 15 years. In May 2008, I came to Pakistan to interview the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Yousaf Raza Gilani and the Minister of Information, Ms Sherry Rehman. After the interview, both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Information offered me the job of Director General Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC). This job offer brought me back to Pakistan, and I took over as DG in June 2008. Currently, I’m conducting news analysis and shows for Capital TV, besides writing for the English press.
Tell us a little bit about your interest in Pakistan China relations.
MS: My relationship with China formally started after I took over as DG PBC. I was part of the delegation that went to China with President of Pakistan, Mr Asif Ali Zardari, in late September 2008. Since then, I have been to China half a dozen times, interacting with China Radio International (CRI) in my official capacity. I was elected as the Vice President of Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union and Chairman of Asia Pacific Institute of Broadcasting Development (AIBD), of which Chinese media is also a part. In both these capacities, I had many interactions with state media organizations of China. My contribution towards relationship-building of the two countries was in laying the groundwork for the first cooperation agreement between CRI and Radio Pakistan, to launch the first collaborative FM network called “Dosti (Friendship).”
What prompted you to start “Dosti,” since this was before the advent of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)?
MS: CPEC started a few years ago but friendship between Pakistan and China goes way back. Whenever I used to travel in the Far East, I would pass through Beijing, interacting with the Chinese media managers. Under a contract I signed, broadcasters of Radio Pakistan were sent to Beijing and the first Chinese broadcast journalist came to Radio Pakistan. We took care of his transportation, accommodation and food in exchange for the same facilities for our broadcasters in China. Tahir (his adopted name) was quite excited about this opportunity. That’s how the seeds of media cooperation between Pakistan and China were sown. As far as the name of the channel is concerned, I tried to think of the essence of Pakistan-China relationship, and it could only be translated into “Dosti (Friendship).”
What is the way forward for Dosti Channel?
MS: It all depends on the people at Radio Pakistan. They do have this great opportunity to capitalize on the channel’s potential. I can only hope that after the elections, the new government continues the policy of cooperation, and we have better management at Radio Pakistan to pursue the same.
What have your experiences been like in China?
MS: With Chinese media, I’ve found their usage of state of the art technological tools to be quite impressive. Moreover, China is very diverse and I saw glimpses of this in Beijing. Not only did I see cultures of different countries, but also local ethnic diversity. I have vivid memories of visiting a Muslim restaurant near the Pakistani embassy in Beijing, where Xinjiang locals prepared excellent and sumptuous food.
What do you think is the media’s role in CPEC and Pak-China Relations?
MS: Negative perceptions about CPEC are rooted outside Pakistan. We live in a world where there are competing economic and strategic interests. When we talk about solutions, media has to lay down the facts and address the concerns. The more stories we narrate of the hard labour that goes into building new vistas of economy, the more easily we can tackle those misconceptions. I think there’s a greater need for media cooperation, in terms of creating new media organizations, jointly owned by Pakistan and China to push the right narrative.
What is the most important aspect of cultural integration that the two countries should promote?
MS: Pakistan and China have exquisite sightseeing spots and rich cultural heritage, so we must promote tourism. However, first we need to lay down strict policies. The tourists must respect the laws and culture of the country they are visiting. In Pakistan, we have to make sure that Chinese tourists are safe and secure by removing the atmosphere of intolerance, extremism and terrorism. Our decision makers have to ensure that programs like the National Action Plan are fully implemented, which will make the conditions favourable for Chinese tourists. We have to educate our tourists so they respect Chinese laws. Our people shouldn’t go there promoting any agenda on religion or politics, rather they should enjoy the life and culture of the Chinese. Furthermore, we already have Chinese drama serials being dubbed into Urdu and vice versa. Film, music and theatre should also be explored.
How do the Chinese perceive of Pakistanis?
MS: I think the relationship is warm enough on both sides. You go to Beijing, the silk market or really anywhere, you say ‘Bajisitan’ and they will use terms like ‘brother’ and ‘friend.’ We need to nurture these relations so that this relationship gets stronger. China is a country of over a billion people, and CPEC will lead to hundreds of thousands of Chinese entering our country. Therefore, China also has to educate its citizens about Pakistani laws and culture, which would minimize the possibility of any friction.
What benefits can Pakistan gain from CPEC?
MS: Everyone knows how beneficial CPEC is for China. For them, it reduces the time required to reach the Indian Ocean and access new markets. However, it’s the responsibility of Pakistanis to find new areas of cooperation with China. If we can provide competitive environments for joint ventures in industrial, services and agricultural sectors, only then will it be beneficial for the people of Pakistan. Otherwise, we would just remain a road access for China.
Mr. Murtaza Solangi is hopeful that the relationship between Pakistan and China will reach new heights in the coming years, with media playing an integral role in strengthening people to people connections and the increased cultural integration of both countries.
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