JAVED KHAN
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has held power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) since 2013, often highlights its strong support among the youth, positioning itself as their unwavering advocate. However, despite its bold promises, many initiatives meant to empower the province’s young generation remain largely unfulfilled.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Policy 2016, while ambitious in its goals, has been criticized for its vague approach, failing to address the real grievances, challenges, and opportunities faced by the youth.
Experts in youth development argue that the existing policy lacks a concrete framework to tackle pressing issues such as unemployment, education gaps, and skill development.
They suggest that the government needs to formulate a more holistic, updated policy that aligns with the needs and aspirations of the new generation.
Dr Tariq, Assistant Professor at Pashto Department Gomal University maintained that “the rising unemployment rate, coupled with a lack of opportunities and government support, is forcing many young men and women to resort to desperate, and sometimes unethical, means to earn a livelihood.”
He furthered the negative impact of the prevalent early marriage culture in KP, particularly affecting young women.
“This practice not only deprives young females of their right to education but also excludes them from playing any role in the inclusive development of society,” he said.
“Dr. Khan further highlighted that young people in the region are often deprived of the freedom to choose their own paths in political and economic spheres, severely limiting their potential to contribute to societal progress.”
According to budget 2024-25 documents, the Youth Affairs Department is currently working on only three projects: the Youth Soft Loan Scheme, the Construction, Rehabilitation, Upgradation, and Asset Management of Youth Properties in KP, and the Youth Development Package.
It is pertinent to mention here that in the financial year 2016-17, the provincial government had initiated a landmark initiative under the ADP scheme to establish 78 in line of provincial youth policy.
The aforementioned project has seen little progress over the years. The project failed to gain traction in subsequent financial years and was eventually excluded from the ADP scheme altogether.
A senior official told this scribe on the condition of anonymity that the Youth Affairs Department had previously built four youth centers in Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar, and Abbottabad under the vision of the 2016 Youth Policy, with support from United Nation Development Program (UNDP).
He disclosed that these centers have been shut down for several years, and the project, initially part of the ADP, has since been abandoned due to government inattention.
“By 2019, most of the youth development projects that were initiated after 2017, 2018 and 2019 under both national and provincial youth policies had come to a halt,” he added.
He shared that the provincial government led by PTI has failed to complete a single mega youth-focused initiative under the Annual Development Program (ADP) since 2017.
“Most of these grants didn’t lead to any significant business ventures.
In some cases, individuals used the funds for personal purposes like getting married or building houses instead of starting businesses,” sources said.
Syed Fakhar Jehan, provincial minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, said the PTI-led provincial government has initiated a comprehensive interest-free loan program aimed at empowering the KP’s youth.
Under this scheme, youth between the ages of 18 and 35 with specific skills can receive loans of up to Rs 5 million to start or expand their business and create employment opportunities for others.
These loans are also extended to professional youth, he added and emphasized that several additional programs are in the pipeline, with memorandums of understanding (MOUs) being signed with institutions like the University of Agriculture and the University of Technology to benefit educated youth and provide them with more opportunities.
Dr Noman Mujahid, Director General (DG) Youth Affairs Department, highlighted ongoing efforts to develop a new youth policy and action plan tailored to modern needs.
“The new youth policy, currently in the final stages, will soon be presented to the cabinet for approval,” he shared.
Dr Noman noted that the new policy will focus on six strategic areas designed to address the diverse needs of today’s youth.
To a question, DG Dr Noman revealed that 12 districts in the province will soon have fully operational “Jawan Markaz (centers), with plans to expand the initiative to other districts of the province.
Like other experts, he was also critical of the 2016 Youth Policy, stating it held little significance due to its “copy-paste” nature, but assured that the new policy is being developed with the assistance of comprehensive consultancy to make it more relevant and impactful.
Tariq Afghan, a senior lawyer of the Peshawar High Court and Secretary Youth Awami National Party (ANP) highlighted that in developed countries, political parties have their own think tanks and often rely on donations for financial support.
These nations offer various opportunities for youth to actively participate in national development.
In contrast, he pointed out that in Pakistan, particularly in KP, both political parties and the government lack comprehensive plans for youth development.
Afghan, who is a fellow of the Young Asian Politician program, emphasized that cultural norms in the region often overlook the importance of investing in the younger generation.
Youth are neither encouraged in the political sphere nor supported in other fields, leading to a range of negative consequences for their growth and contribution to society, he said.
According to him, in politics, the youth are largely confined to slogan-shouting, with little involvement in decision-making or policy formulation.
This marginalization, he argued, is detrimental to both the youth and the country’s progress.
