For immediate release: Field Mission to Pakistan by AMARC and PPF has begun October 1, 2010, Kathmandu. The field mission to Pakistan by the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) and the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) to assess information and communication needs of areas affected by floods has commenced with mission members arriving in Karachi on the 30th of September 2010. In addition to assessing immediate communication gaps in the affected areas including the assessment of information & communication needs of the internally displaced people and Aid Providers, the mission will explore possibilities of integrating functioning independent radios into the humanitarian information network along with guidance on humanitarian relief reporting. Technical experts from the mission will carry out basic repairs of the stations. The mission will also assess the possibility of setting up emergency radios in the worst affected areas and the immediate, short term and longer term needs of the radios and their personnel. The beginning of the mission will be marked by a round table discussion to be held in Karachi on the 2nd of October 2010 with government authorities, policy makers, representatives of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, and other stakeholders such as independent broadcasters, humanitarian organizations and donors to present case for community radio and its role in helping in relief and rehabilitation efforts for the flood affected. The mission is led by Steve Buckley, President of AMARC International. Other mission members include Imam Prakoso, member of AMARC Asia Pacific Regional Board from Indonesia, Junichi Hibino, Director of community radio FMYY of Japan, and engineers Toru Sato and Sadao Ito from BHN, Japan. Owais Aslam Ali, Secretary General of PPF is cop-heading the mission along with a team of experts from PPF. Please visit http://asiapacific.amarc.org/pakistan_floods/ for the latest mission news. -END- AMARC is an international non-governmental organization serving the community radio movement in over 110 countries, and advocating for the right to communicate at the international, national, local and neighborhood levels. AMARC has an International Secretariat in Montreal. It has regional sections in Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific and offices in Johannesburg, Buenos Aires, Brussels, and Kathmandu. For more information, please contact Suman Basnet, Regional Coordinator for Asia-Pacific, [log in to unmask] or visit www.asiapacific.amarc.org. -- Suman Basnet Regional Coordinator AMARC Asia Pacific Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: +977 1 5554811 Fax: +977 1 5521714 http://asiapacific.amarc.org