KP was treated as an experiment: CM KP Sohail Afridi

WEB DESK: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said that the province had long suffered instability because “everyone experimented on the province”, depriving its youth of opportunities available in other parts of the country. He said the lack of peace had hindered development and access to justice, but stressed that his government would no longer allow such experimentation. Afridi added that lasting peace in the province was essential for ensuring justice and economic progress, creating an environment for sustainable development.

Education reforms and youth employment

Afridi said the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) had introduced courses aligned with current market needs, helping prevent the rise of graduate unemployment in the province. Addressing a ceremony in Peshawar, he said outdated academic programmes had previously produced “an army of unemployed youth”, as graduates were unable to find jobs despite holding degrees. He said the provincial government was now focusing on providing employment opportunities to young people even before they completed their degrees.

Talks with PM, security focus outlined

Afridi said he had held a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and had since convened an Apex Committee meeting, with further consultations planned with security institutions. He said he was willing to engage with any political figure, regardless of personal differences, if it served the interests of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, he made it clear that he would not accept decisions made behind closed doors and would only engage in dialogue on equal footing. “If there is peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there will be justice and development,” he said.