When it emerged on the national scene, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) positioned itself as a party that wanted to represent the aspirations of the Pakistani population's fastest-growing segment: the youth. Having held power in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province since 2013, the party often highlights its strong support amongst the region's youth, positioning itself as its unwavering advocate. However, despite its bold promises, many initiatives meant to empower the province's young generation remain largely unfulfilled or have fallen woefully short.
In 2016, the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) introduced a Youth Policy. Simultaneously, in the financial year 2016-17, the provincial government initiated a landmark initiative as a scheme under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) to establish 78 youth centres in line with provincial youth policy.
However, the project saw little progress and failed to gain traction in subsequent financial years until it was eventually excluded from the ADP scheme altogether.
While ambitious in its goals, the policy was criticised for its vague approach and failure to address real grievances, challenges, and opportunities faced by the youth.
Experts in youth development argue that the provincial government's existing policy lacks a concrete framework to tackle pressing issues such as unemployment, education gaps, and skill development. They suggest that the government formulate a more holistic and updated policy that aligns with the needs and aspirations of the new generation.
A senior official, who spoke to The Friday Times on the condition of anonymity, said that the Youth Affairs Department had previously built four youth centres in Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar, and Abbottabad under the Youth Policy 2016, with support from the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP). However, he said these centres had been shut 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 had been initiated after 2017 and 2018 - under both national and provincial youth policies - had come to a halt," he added.
He claimed that the provincial government led by the PTI has failed to complete even a single mega youth-focused initiative under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) since 2017.
"Most of these grants did not lead to any significant business ventures," he claimed, adding that in some cases, individuals used the funds for personal purposes like getting married or building houses instead of starting businesses.
The KP Youth Policy 2016 considered youth to be in the 15-29 age group, and around 35% of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's population consisted of such youth. The National Youth Policy of Pakistan (2009) defined youth as being within the same age range, but the United Nations considers youth as those between the ages of 15-24. According to the digital census of 2023, however, it was found that these numbers have grown considerably. In 2023, KP's overall population had swelled to 40.64 million people while those in the 15-24 age group comprised some 7.74 million. Those in the 15-29 years youth age group numbered 10.67 million - or around 25%. Of these, in the 15-24 age group, there were 3.93 million males and 3.80 million females. Similarly, in the 15-29 age group, there were 5.35 million males and 5.32 million females. It is pertinent to mention that 17.66 million of KP's residents are aged 15 or younger.
Budget documents of KP for the fiscal year 2024-25, however, show that the provincial Youth Affairs Department is currently working on three projects: a Youth Soft Loan Scheme, the Construction, Rehabilitation, Upgradation, and Asset Management of Youth Properties in KP, and the Youth Development Package.
"Jawan Markaz" (youth centres) will soon start full operations in 12 districts of the province, with plans to expand the initiative to other districts of the province
When asked about the provincial government's plans for uplifting the province's youth, KP Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Syed Fakhar Jehan said that the PTI-led provincial government has initiated a comprehensive interest-free loan programme to empower the KP's youth. Under this scheme, youth between the ages of 18 and 35 with specific skills can receive loans of up to Rs5 million to start or expand their businesses and create employment opportunities for others. These loans will also be extended to professional youth, he added and emphasised that several additional programmes are in the pipeline, with memorandums of understanding (MOUs) being signed with institutions such as the University of Agriculture and the University of Technology to benefit educated youth and provide them with more opportunities.
KP Youth Affairs Department Director General (DG) Dr Noman Mujahid highlighted the department's 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 Mujahid noted that the new policy will focus on six strategic areas designed to address the diverse needs of today's youth.
To a question, Dr Mujahid said that "Jawan Markaz" (youth centres) will soon start full operations in 12 districts of the province, with plans to expand the initiative to other districts of the province.
Like other experts, he was also critical of the Youth Policy of 2016, stating it held little significance due to its "copy-paste" nature, but assured that the new policy, which is being developed with assistance from comprehensive consultancy, will be more relevant and impactful.
Despite claims that the new policy will be a significant departure from the 2016 policy, some of the outcomes and projects identified by the relevant provincial minister and department officials suggest that they largely follow the same track.
Dr Tariq Khan, an assistant professor at 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."
Cultural norms in the region often overlook the importance of investing in the younger generation. The youth, he said, 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 added that there was a negative impact from the early marriage culture prevalent in KP and that it particularly affects young women. According to PBS, of the 3.93 million males in the 15-24 age group, 3.26 million males had never married. By comparison, of the 3.80 females in the 15-24 age group, only 2.21 million females had never married (431,311 females were married in the 15-19 age group out of a total of 2.074 million females, while in the 20-24 age group, this number jumped to 1.155 million out of 1.729 million).
"This practice not only deprives young females of their right to an 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 path in the political and economic spheres, severely limiting their potential to contribute to societal progress.
Tariq Afghan, a senior lawyer who practices in the Peshawar High Court and is the youth secretary for the 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 programme, emphasised that cultural norms in the region often overlook the importance of investing in the younger generation. The youth, he said, 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. In politics, he said, the youth are largely confined to slogan-shouting and other foot-soldier work, with little involvement in decision-making or policy formulation.
This marginalisation, he argued, is detrimental to both the youth and the country's progress.