Peshawar: In the aftermath of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, infuriated party activists took to the streets in several cities across the country, vehemently protesting their leader’s arrest, local media reported.
Peshawar was one of the cities where supporters of PTI unleashed havoc. In the city, protestors stormed the historic Radio Pakistan building and went on a vandalising rampage that culminated in setting the building ablaze.
Angry protesters not only set fire to the historic building but also plundered it.
The charred interior of the building shows extensive damage as the arson followed vandalism and looting.
The resulting inferno consumed irreplaceable records and other invaluable items, resulting in significant losses, Geo News reported.
The radio station, which dates back to 1935, holds a prominent place in history.
It telecast the monumental news of Pakistan’s formation on August 14, 1947, in both Pashto and Urdu languages.
Throughout the years, the station continued to serve as a vital source of information, particularly during critical moments such as the 1965 Indo-Pak war and the Afghan conflict. Notably, Radio Pakistan’s past reporting on acts of terrorism earned widespread acclaim, Geo News reported.
The present-day building that houses Radio Pakistan was inaugurated on April 28, 1985, by then-President General Ziaul Haque.
–IANS