PESHAWAR:
A high-level meeting chaired by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi was held at the Chief Minister’s House to review progress on the implementation of the Provincial Youth Policy 2026.
Senior officials briefed the Chief Minister on various aspects of the policy, the proposed governing boards of youth centres, and multiple initiatives aimed at the welfare and development of young people.
The Chief Minister directed that public representatives should also be included in the governing boards of youth centres to better reflect the needs and priorities of the youth in policy-making and its execution. He also instructed authorities to expedite the completion and operationalisation of under-construction youth centres.
“Our government is taking practical steps to provide youth with equal opportunities in education, skills development, employment and entrepreneurship, while harnessing and polishing their potential,” the Chief Minister said.
He added that the Provincial Youth Policy 2026 will ensure equal development opportunities for the youth and help create a comprehensive and sustainable system for their welfare and progress.
Afridi emphasised that the scope of initiatives such as startups, career guidance, training programmes, promotion of sports, and patronage of young talent will be further expanded to align youth with the demands of the modern era.
He reiterated that the vision of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan centres on investment in youth and human capital, and the provincial government is fully committed to implementing this vision.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to arrange training for sports coaches under international-standard instructors to enhance their capabilities.
The meeting was informed that two development schemes worth Rs700 million have been included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2026-27 for the implementation of the Youth Policy.
Additionally, Rs170 million has been earmarked for youth centres to support skills development, digital learning, career development, training programmes and seminars.
Rs115 million has been allocated for youth entrepreneurship, startup challenges, business plan competitions, career fairs and entrepreneurship exhibitions.
A further Rs120 million has been set aside for provincial and district-level youth talent hunts, IT hackathons, technology competitions, youth festivals, conventions and exchange programmes.
Rs60 million has been allocated to ensure active youth participation in environmental protection, climate action, awareness campaigns and tree plantation drives.
Concluding the meeting, Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi assured that the provincial government will ensure effective, coordinated and timely implementation of the Youth Policy 2026 to empower young people, equip them with modern skills, and provide them equal opportunities for growth.