PESHAWAR: Al-Khidmat Foundation (AKF) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday launched the Bano Qabil Fall 2025 session (Phase II) in the province, with plans to expand its skills training network from 20 to 50 centres, covering all districts.

Al-Khidmat Foundation president Khalid Waqas told reporters here that the programme provided free IT and digital skills training.

He said that more than 25,000 candidates sat the aptitude test, with nearly 20,000 enrolled on campuses across the province in the first phase.

“Registration for the new session has begun, so students can apply through the online portal,” he said.

Mr Waqas said unlike the previous phase, no aptitude test would be conducted this time.

He said applicants would be interviewed before enrollment and that the three-month courses would run from Oct 2025 to Jan 2026, with classes starting on Oct 15.

“Phase II will include training in web and app development, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, DevOps, video editing and digital marketing,” he said.

He said certification would be offered in collaboration with KPBIT, LRN, NCHD and Google.

Mr Waqas announced that new centers would also be set up in Peshawar Press Club for journalists and their families, and a special class for the transgender community would provide basic computer training.

He said a computer class would be launched for juveniles in Peshawar Central Jail, along with a separate Bano Qabil Centre for adult prisoners, who would undergo tests and interviews before enrollment.

The foundation’s leader also said that Bano Qabil had already trained thousands of students for the international market.

“With this new phase in KP, Al-Khidmat Bano Qabil will focus on students from districts where infrastructure and market access are limited.

It is a challenging task, but we are committed to it,” he said.

Mr Waqas announced that in October, a job fair would be organized for graduates who had already completed Bano Qabil’s free IT courses, linking them with opportunities in the job market and freelance economy.

Provincial AKF general secretary Shakir Siddique, Bano Qabil director Sohaibuddin Kakakhel and AKF Peshawar president Arbab Abdul Haseeb were also present.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2025