PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday said that his government was working on a Rs1 trillion Roshan Qabail development package for the merged tribal districts of the province.

He said this during a meeting called to finalise the framework of the Roshan Qabail development package, according to an official statement.

It added that the participants reviewed the proposed framework and priority sectors aimed at ensuring sustainable socio-economic development of tribal districts.

Officials told the meeting that under the proposed package, significant investments would be made in six thematic areas for the development of tribal districts.

Afridi says Roshan Qabail initiative to improve infrastructure, develop human resources, create jobs

They said the development package would be worth Rs1 trillion.

The chief minister said that under the package, the special focus would be placed on improving infrastructure, developing human resources, and creating employment opportunities so that the merged districts can be brought at par with other developed areas of the province.

He said that the establishment of Tribal Medical College, Institute of Modern Sciences, and Safe city projects be included in the package.

Mr Afridi also said that the establishment of district and tehsil headquarters hospitals should be made part of the package in areas where such facilities didn’t exist.

He said that a modern sports complex should be established in each merged district and a sports ground at the tehsil level to provide healthy recreational opportunities for youth.

The chief minister issued instructions to include markets as well as internal and external entry routes of the merged districts in the Safe City Project along with shifting of markets, schools and health facilities to solar energy.

He said that a Rescue 1122 station, orphanages and shelter homes should be included in the development plan for every tehsil across the merged districts.

Mr Afridi emphasised the need for increasing the share of investment in the health and education sectors, stating that sustainable development is not possible without substantial improvement in these areas.

He also ordered enhancement of allocations for science, technology, information technology, irrigation, social welfare, sports and energy sectors.

Officials said that special investments would be made under the package to enhance institutional capacity, improve governance and ensure effective service delivery. They also said cross-sectoral reforms would be undertaken to achieve inclusive development with particular strengthening of the health and education sectors.

The officials said under the development package, 1,245 new primary schools would be established in the merged tribal districts, while 463 primary schools and 85 middle schools would be upgraded.

They also said 975 primary schools, 240 middle schools and 125 high schools would be rehabilitated.

The officials said the proposed package also included the recruitment of 11,500 teachers and the provision of various educational scholarships.

They said rehabilitation and functionalisation of health facilities were also planned along with the establishment of telemedicine centers in district headquarters hospitals.

The officials said the proposed development package also covered construction of road infrastructure, development of check dams and irrigation infrastructure, provision of clean drinking water, establishment of industrial infrastructure and solarisation of schools, health facilities, and markets in the merged tribal districts.

They also said various initiatives had been proposed in the sectors of agriculture and livestock, forestry, sports and youth affairs, while measures would be undertaken in the sectors of local government, relief science and technology.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2026