PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Friday announced establishment of a state-of-the-art innovation hub at the provincial level – a step towards promoting working spaces and the development of information technology in the province.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Innovation Hub will be set up within the premises of the University of Peshawar, according to a statement issued from the chief minister’s secretariat. It said the decision was taken during a joint meeting of the higher education and information technology departments with Mr Gandapur in the chair.

The chief minister was briefed on various aspects of the proposed innovation hub.

It was revealed that the hub would comprise 22 private offices, two large event halls, a conference room, a boardroom, two committee rooms, and two co-working spaces. The facility would utilise the building of the existing incubation centre at the University of Peshawar.

Once operational, the hub is expected to generate an annual income of up to Rs60 million for the university. The hub would serve as a multipurpose IT centre, offering a conducive environment for students, freelancers, and private IT companies, particularly startups and entrepreneurs.

The statement said all necessary facilities and services for startups and entrepreneurship would be available under one roof.

The chief minister directed the departments concerned to ensure the timely launch of the innovation hub, and stated that similar hubs would be established at other universities following the project’s success. He said the initiative would help financially strengthen the university and provide high-quality co-working spaces to youth and companies involved in the IT sector. He added the project would promote the use of modern technology and open up new employment opportunities for young people.

The meeting also approved the establishment of digital connects in divisional headquarters. Initially, these would be set up in rented buildings and would feature IT parks, co-working spaces, and computer labs.

“We aim to provide youth in every division with access to IT innovation. We must create an enabling environment that aligns with the needs of the digital age,” the statement quoted Mr Gandapur as saying during the meeting.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025