PESHAWAR: The Department of International Relations of the University of Peshawar organized a symposium titled “Borderland Geopolitics and Economy of KP’s Merged Districts” on Thursday.
The event was attended by academics, policymakers, civil society representatives, journalists, researchers, and students. They discussed the political, economic, and social realities of the merged districts, as well as their future within the existing state structure.
Prof Dr Johar Ali, Vice Chancellor of the University of Peshawar, and Meena Khan Afridi, Provincial Minister for Higher Education and Local Government, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were among the participants.
Chairman of the Department of International Relations, Prof Dr Syed Sami Raza, emphasized the importance of scholarly engagement on issues related to borderland politics, governance, identity, and socioeconomic development in the merged districts.
The first panel, titled “Borderland Geopolitics, Security, Governance and Economy of Merged Districts,” featured Prof Dr Husnul Amin, Dr Noreen Naseer, Dr Asif Iqbal Dawar, Rukhshanda Naz, Dr Saba Gul Khattak, and Shams Momand.
The participants shared analyses on governance, post-merger administrative reforms, security concerns, economic opportunities, and the broader implications of integration for local communities.
Another panel examined “Borderland Narratives: Media, Civil Society and Human Rights in Merged Districts.” Speakers included Dr Zahid Ullah, Dr Muhammad Irfan Mahsud, Dr Rahman Ullah, Maryam Bibi, and Hira Malik.
The third panel, titled “From Fata to State: Youth Voices from the Borderland on Integration, Identity and the Future,” highlighted perspectives from young participants.Huma Rafiq, a student of the Department of International Relations, delivered the symposium’s keynote address and presented a comprehensive summary of the discussions.
Chief guest Meena Khan Afridi highlighted the provincial government’s efforts to improve living standards in the merged districts, stating that significant investments were being made in education, healthcare, and water infrastructure.
He said the provincial government had allocated Rs35.97 billion under the Accelerated Implementation Programme. He also criticized the federal government for not releasing allocated funds for the former Fata region.
Stressing the significance of the Roshan Qabail project, he said Rs100 billion had been earmarked for development projects, including the establishment of colleges and universities, hospitals, and infrastructure in the region.
