PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Monday directed the officials concerned to formulate targeted initiatives to promote the welfare, professional independence, and financial sustainability of journalists.
An official handout said that he issued the directives while chairing a meeting on the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for fiscal year 2026-27.The meeting reviewed in detail the proposed new development schemes from the Departments of Information and Public Relations, Science and Technology & Information Technology, Law, Mines and Minerals, and Labour.
Afridi instructed the officials to develop an interest-free financing scheme to support the establishment of media production and broadcasting setups, enabling young journalists to pursue self-employment and develop independent platforms.
He noted that such measures would enhance professional autonomy and strengthen responsible journalism. The chief minister directed the preparation of comprehensive schemes for the establishment of media colonies and the upgradation of press clubs in the merged districts.
The meeting focused on aligning sectoral priorities with the province’s broader development agenda, with particular emphasis on economic growth, employment generation, institutional strengthening, and service delivery improvements.
In the legal and justice sector, the chief minister emphasised improving access to justice and institutional capacity. He directed the establishment of daycare centres in judicial complexes to facilitate working women and families. Proposals for the establishment of a Judicial Academy in Peshawar and District Judicial Complexes in Bajaur and Mansehra were also reviewed. He called for strengthening workplace harassment laws and ensuring fully confidential, secure, and victim-sensitive complaint mechanisms through appropriate legislative amendments.
Addressing labour welfare and child protection, the chief minister underscored the need for robust interventions to eliminate child labour and integrate affected children into formal education systems.
He directed the formulation of comprehensive, evidence-based programmes in this regard. In the mines and minerals sector, directions were issued to enhance environmental sustainability through large-scale afforestation in mining areas.
The meeting considered proposals to strengthen mines rescue, safety, and training centers, particularly in the merged districts, to improve occupational safety standards and emergency response capacity. In the science and technology domain, proposals were presented for the establishment of a Drone Centre of Excellence, a Cybersecurity Operations Centre, and Digital Cities in the merged districts.
The participants reviewed initiatives including digital internship programmes and technology incubation centres aimed at equipping youth with market-relevant skills and facilitating pathways to dignified employment.
To accelerate mineral sector development, proposals were discussed for geological mapping, placer gold exploration, and the identification of critical minerals through the establishment of an integrated geoscience survey and data repository.The chief minister directed the departments to develop a coherent, cross-sectoral implementation framework to materialize these initiatives effectively.
