BBC Pashto

{{Infobox broadcasting network

| name = BBC Pashto

| logo = BBCPashtoLogo.jpg

| country = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} United Kingdom, Afghanistan, and {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistan

| network_type = Radio network and website

| available = International

| owner = BBC

| endowment = Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK

| language = Pashto

| launch_date = 1981

| webcast = {{URL|https://www.bbc.com/pashto/bbc_pashto_radio/liveradio}}

| website = [https://www.bbc.com/pashto/ BBC Pashto]

}}

BBC Pashto ({{langx|ps|بي بي سي پښتو}}) is the Pashto-language station of the BBC World Service.{{Cite web|title = کورپاڼه - BBC Pashto|url = https://www.bbc.com/pashto|website = BBC Pashto|access-date = 2016-01-25|language = ps-AF}}{{Cite web|title = BBC - Home|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/|website = www.bbc.co.uk|access-date = 2016-01-25}} It was launched in August 1981, and reaches out to the over 50-60 million Pashto speakers in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as the Pashtun diaspora around the world.{{Cite web|title = King's College London - Pashto Language Resources|url = http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/mlc/lrc/language-resources/pashto.aspx|website = www.kcl.ac.uk|access-date = 2016-01-25}} Nabi Misdaq was its first editor.

Radio

Initially, the service only broadcast radio programmes - mainly News and current affairs, however, it later expanded by introducing entertainment slots, long form, features, magazines, hard talk and interactive shows such as Stasy Ghag Your Voice which is still very popular among its audience.

Online

In 2002, BBC Pashto launched its web page BBCPashto.com. In recent years they have expanded their presence on the social platform. Now BBC Pashto is available on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Soundcloud.

TV

{{outdated|section|reason=Lacks info on how it was affected by the 2021 fall of Kabul|date=December 2024}}

On January 20, 2014, the section began its 15-minute daily news bulletins - Aired via its partner station in Afghanistan Shamshad TV, the bulletin soon became popular and had a weekly audience of around 1.5 million (2015). The transmission time was 1230 GMT/1700 Afg Time. Ismail Miakhail was the launch producer and Emal Pasarly is the editor.

In 2015, due to its huge popularity, high demand and growing viewership, the programme was relaunched and rebranded as BBC Naray Da Wakht (BBC World Right Now).{{Cite web|title = BBC - BBC's offer for Afghan audiences gets a boost with new daily live TV news show in Pashto - Media Centre|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/bbc-pashto|website = www.bbc.co.uk|access-date = 2016-01-25}} The new 24 minutes show goes live from London in peak time (18.00 Kabul time) on the same partner network Shamshad TV. The new vibrant, hard-hitting live programme provides Pashto speakers with in-depth reporting, analysis and interviews. It also has a weekly interactive segment, Staso Ghazh (Have Your Say), containing live phone-ins, social media round ups, comments, video, pictures and audio content from viewers. The programme is presented by lead anchors Sana Safi and Amanullah Atta.

Based on a survey conducted by the BBC in 2015, BBC Pashto content reaches 6.5 million people in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the rest of the world (2015{{Cite web|title = BBC - BBC's offer for Afghan audiences gets a boost with new daily live TV news show in Pashto - Media Centre|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/bbc-pashto|website = www.bbc.co.uk|access-date = 2016-01-25}}).

Female Editor

Safia Haleem{{Cite web|title = Amazon.com: Safia Haleem: Books|url = https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&text=Safia+Haleem&search-alias=books&field-author=Safia+Haleem&sort=relevancerank|website = www.amazon.com|access-date = 2016-01-25}} was its first female editor. She was born in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, and graduated from Peshawar University. As a writer and historian Ms Haleem has authored several books in Pashto and English.

Programmes

Stasy Ghag (Have Your Say)
Naray Da Wakht (World Right Now){{Cite web|title = نړۍ دا وخت - BBC Pashto|url = http://www.bbc.com/pashto/multimedia/2016/01/000000_naray_da_wakht_on_demand|website = BBC Pashto|access-date = 2016-01-25|language = ps-AF}}
Da Malghalaro Amil (Art Show)
Wama Studio (Studio 7)
Nima Narai (Half of the World)
Jor Taza (How Are You)
Khaza Aw Nananai Naray (Afghan Woman Hour){{Cite web|title = BBC - Afghanistan's Woman's Hour: providing support and advice - Media Action|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/where-we-work/asia/afghanistan/womans-hour|website = www.bbc.co.uk|access-date = 2016-01-25}}
Global Newsbeat
Pilwazai (Art and Literature)
De Fekr Lari (The Path Of Thought){{Cite web|title = لټون - BBC Pashto|url = http://www.bbc.com/pashto/search/?q=%25D9%2581%25DA%25A9%25D8%25B1%25D9%2584%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25DB%2590|website = www.bbc.com|access-date = 2016-01-25}}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Rogha Sata (Good Health){{Cite web|title = BBC Pashto - افغانستان - انځورونه: د بي بي سي پښتو زاړه يادونه|url = http://www.bbc.com/pashto/afghanistan/2011/08/110813_im_pashto_1980s_gallery.shtml|website = www.bbc.com|access-date = 2016-01-25|language = ps}}
Da Woonai Bahs (Weekly Debate)

Awards

Sony Radio Award for Service to Public Health
'Team of the Year' at the first BBC World Service Awards, 2007
New York Festivals World's Best Radio Programme, 2007

Schedule

The radio service is broadcast on 31 FM stations in Afghanistan as of December 2024,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/25lGfHqsvqPgsTVM6z88WGD/bbc-fm-stations-around-the-world|title=BBC FM Stations Around the World|accessdate=1 January 2025|publisher=BBC}} while the shortwave transmitting station in Al Ashkharah, Oman and occasionally the Woofferton transmitting station were known to broadcast BBC Pashto programming 5 to 6 hours a day as of 23 December 2024.{{Cite web|url=http://www.short-wave.info/index.php?language=Pashto&station=BBC|title=Short-Wave Radio Frequency Schedule for BBC in PASHTO|accessdate=1 January 2025|publisher=Short-Wave.Info}}

Journalists

Some of its most famous journalists are:

Mirwais Jalil
Nabi Misdaq
Daud Junbish{{Cite web|title = BBC Blogs - BBC Media Action - Daud Junbish|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcmediaaction/authors/d746132c-7fd4-34ae-a437-12555e172033|website = www.bbc.co.uk|access-date = 2016-01-25}}
Ahmed Omaid Khpalwak
Abdul Samad Rohani
Sana Safi{{Cite web|title = The Afghan translator who became a 9/11 millionaire|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32008567|website = BBC News|access-date = 2016-01-25|first1 = Sana Safi BBC Afghan|last1 = Service|last2 = Kabul}}
Najiba Kasraee{{Cite web|title = BBC Blogs - College of Journalism - Najiba Kasraee|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/collegeofjournalism/authors/33316d2a-6117-3708-9b35-a18afbee64e4|website = www.bbc.co.uk|access-date = 2016-01-25}}
Kamal Behzadi
Yaqub Kakar