PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday called for setting aside political differences and vendettas in the larger national interest, saying political instability, economic decline, inflation, reduced industrial and agricultural output, and unemployment had weakened the country’s economy.
Addressing the annual parents’ day function at the Girls Cadet College in Mardan, the chief minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faced challenges greater than those confronting other provinces, but human development and public welfare remained the provincial government’s top priorities. According to an official statement, he said that despite limited financial resources, sustained efforts were being made to improve education, health, governance and public service delivery in line with the vision of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder Imran Khan.
Mr Afridi noted that the Girls Cadet College enrolled students not only from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also from other provinces and overseas Pakistani families, which, he said, reflected confidence in the institution’s academic standards. He reiterated that providing quality education to girls was a key priority of the provincial government and assured continued investment in the education sector.
The chief minister announced the establishment of a girls cadet college in Khyber tribal district and pledged the provision of funds for the timely construction of the Girls Cadet College building. He also raised concerns over what he described as the non-payment of the province’s constitutionally mandated financial share, stating that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s outstanding dues from the federal government had exceeded Rs4.5 trillion.
According to Mr Afridi, the pending amount included hydel power arrears, promised allocations for merged districts, net hydel profits and other financial liabilities. He said that while the merged districts had been administratively integrated, their financial integration remained incomplete, calling it a constitutional violation. He maintained that the provision of due financial resources would allow greater investment in energy, education, health and social sectors, with positive spillover effects beyond the province.
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“The country’s progress depends on constitutional supremacy, fair distribution of resources and political stability,” he said.
Later, speaking at the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Science Agenda: a High-Technology and Product Development Exhibition” at the Chief Minister’s House, Mr Afridi said the provincial government was working on emerging technologies in biomedicine and advanced materials to promote value addition to natural resources and accelerate economic growth.
“The country’s progress depends on constitutional supremacy, fair distribution of resources and political stability,” Afridi said.https://t.co/5I9psou3L5
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 21, 2025
According to an official statement, high-tech projects initiated by the provincial government were showcased at the exhibition. These included artificial skin for burn care, locally developed PCR diagnostic kits for major diseases, an e-rickshaw project, the use of liquid oxygen in mining, e-surgical instruments and an e-study card system for students.
Briefings during the exhibition said the projects aimed to reduce reliance on imports, lower costs, promote green transportation and strengthen local technological capacity.
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