PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has accorded approval to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Policy 2026 and that will be submitted to the cabinet for a final nod.
Chairing a meeting of the Sports and Youth Affairs Department at the Chief Minister’s House, Peshawar, the chief minister directed the relevant authorities to undertake comprehensive legislation for the protection and promotion of youth interests.
He emphasized that with young people constituting a significant proportion of the province’s population, safeguarding their interests and investing in their development is both a strategic necessity and a moral imperative.
“The next provincial budget will be a youth-focused budget,” the chief minister stated, adding that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is investing in human capital. He directed the quarters concerned to ensure the establishment of Jawan Markaz facilities in every district of the province and instructed that empowered local governing bodies be constituted to ensure their effective management and sustainability.
The chief minister emphasized the need to prioritize the provision of digital skills training to equip young people for emerging economic opportunities. The meeting was informed that more than Rs 7 billion would be invested in youth development initiatives over the next two years under the proposed youth policy framework.
The policy is built around four core pillars: education, employment, environment, and youth engagement in social and civic affairs. Participants were briefed that key policy objectives include universalizing secondary education, particularly for females, and expanding access to higher education.
The policy also envisages scholarships and training opportunities for females, the establishment of Jawan Markaz facilities, and mobile outreach services in rural and newly merged districts.
The meeting was informed that the policy incorporates measures to promote inclusion and equitable access to opportunities.
These include assistive facilities for young persons with disabilities, livelihood support for transgender youth, and dedicated quotas for minority youth across various programmes. In addition, the policy seeks to align technical education curricula with market requirements while expanding access to digital skills training and future-ready competencies.
The proposed framework also includes interventions aimed at creating employment opportunities across multiple sectors, introducing youth internship programmes in both the public and private sectors, and providing entrepreneurship support to aspiring young people.
The policy envisages the establishment of youth councils at both provincial and district levels, as well as volunteer groups to promote community service and civic engagement among young people.
The meeting was informed that digital transformation, youth-friendly governance, youth health, and social well-being constitute important components of the policy framework. Participants were briefed on proposals to activate the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Development Commission and establish a dedicated Youth Development Fund to support the implementation of youth-focused initiatives across the province.
