Women empowerment essential for KP’s uplift: Kundi

LAHORE : Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Faisal Karim Kundi emphasised the need for a civil-military agreement in Pakistan to ensure national progress.

Addressing a session at Kinnaird College for Women University on Saturday, Governor Kundi outlined his priorities, highlighting women’s empowerment, youth engagement and promoting a positive image of KP as essential to the province’s development.He urged a shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy to safeguard against becoming a target for external agendas, emphasizing, “We cannot change our neighbors.

” He underscored the importance of providing women in KP with enhanced employment opportunities,especially for those who face challenges despite holding advanced degrees.

He noted plans to offer women IT resources and partnerships with institutions to create sustainable job options. In his address, he directed universities to implement at least 3 percent female representation in their senate and syndicate committees and praised Kinnaird College as a model, expressing his desire to establish a similar institution in KP. Governor Kundi also voiced concerns over administrative and security challenges affecting KP’s educational institutions.

He highlighted the absence of permanent vice-chancellors at many universities and announced scholarship initiatives for students from FATA, Hafiz-e-Quran,transgender individuals,minorities and people with disabilities.

Referring to the Army Public School attack,he spoke on KP’s struggle with terrorism and the closures of several schools in the southern districts due to instability. Regarding the banned organization Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), he called for collaboration within constitutional limits and discouraged divisive rhetoric, saying, “Those who speak of ‘Lar aw Bar Pashtun’ should consider that leaders in Islamabad do not establish homes in Afghanistan”.

Kundi emphasi’ed KP’s cultural richness, noting its 22,000 tourism sites, though he acknowledged the challenges foreign tourists face due to NOC requirements.

He expressed his commitment to boosting tourism and announced the start of cultural seminars at the Governor House,Peshawar including recent events celebrating Allama Iqbal and Khushal Khan Khattak.

Highlighting resource allocation issues,Governor Kundi criticized KP’s inadequate access to its own gas and electricity resources, despite being the largest producer, and cited high electricity costs and frequent load-shedding as ongoing burdens. He also expressed disappointment over the closure of 12 colleges due to security threats, criticizing the provincial government for focusing on political rallies rather than law and order.