JAMRUD/BARA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Wednesday inaugurated multiple education, health, infrastructure, and youth development projects in his home district of Khyber.
He inaugurated the upgraded Government College of Engineering and Technology Jamrud. “Modern academic programmes, including Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Robotics, and Software Engineering, will give a new direction to education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
The chief minister launched the preservation and restoration project of Bab-e-Khyber, describing it as a symbol of the province’s history, culture, heritage, and national identity.
He noted that over time, harsh weather conditions, pollution, and heavy traffic vibrations had damaged the monument, making its conservation and restoration essential.
The chief minister inaugurated the Merged Districts Under-16 Boys Games at Jamrud Sports Complex.
He inaugurated a special maternal and child nutrition facility at District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Hospital.
The chief minister launched the Sehat Sahulat Programme at the DHQ. “Deserving families will now be able to access free, quality healthcare services at their doorstep, fulfilling a long-standing need of the area’s underprivileged population,” he said.
He said these initiatives reflected a government strategy aimed at promoting modern education, strengthening infrastructure, improving healthcare services, and encouraging positive activities across the province.
The chief minister emphasized that the KP government was taking concrete steps to address the longstanding deprivations of people in underdeveloped districts, adding that public welfare and protection of citizens’ rights remain the top priority.
He inaugurated 50 reconstructed and rehabilitated schools in Bara, rebuilt with financial and technical assistance from the government of China.
The project included 35 primary schools, seven middle schools, seven high schools, and one higher secondary school.
The institutions have been equipped with solar energy systems, clean drinking water, cooling, and sanitation facilities, and have been handed over to the Education Department.
Speaking at the occasion, he said that extremism would be countered through education, benefiting thousands of students by providing them a safe and quality learning environment.
The chief minister inaugurated the completed Bara Bypass Road, which stretches 7 kilometres and includes a 152-metre-long bridge. He was informed that the project cost Rs 1.32 billion, of which Rs 1.21 billion has already been spent.
He said the Bypass Road would significantly improve regional connectivity, reduce congestion in Bara Bazaar and residential areas, and promote local trade and economic activity.
According to an official handout, the chief minister made it clear that decisions would no longer be dictated from Islamabad or Rawalpindi but taken in the interests of the KP people and in line with the vision of Imran Khan and the manifesto of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
He termed the imprisonment of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi unjust and expressed serious concern over violations of their fundamental rights.
The chief minister said he was stopped more than 12 times from visiting Adiala Jail and that his passport was placed on the stop list, which he described as discriminatory treatment against a constitutional office.
He said that KP is a federating unit, yet an unequal and unfair attitude was being adopted towards its chief minister.
The chief minister said that he had approached the Islamabad High Court and the Supreme Court but received no relief, adding that all constitutional, legal, and democratic avenues had been exhausted.
He urged the youth to stand up for their rights and oppose any policy that goes against the interests of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reiterating his resolve not to retreat even an inch in defending the rights of the people.
Condemning the torture of lawyer Ali Zaman, the chief minister said that abduction and torture by individuals in plain clothes fell within the definition of terrorism, warning that every act of injustice would be held accountable, as power is not permanent.
