PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said here on Wednesday that a country’s development, economic stability and national cohesion suffered when governments prioritised political confrontation and preservation of power over addressing the needs of citizens.
He stated that the progress or decline of any country was ultimately determined by quality of its leadership, public policy and governance, while at the same time termed youth were the nation’s most valuable asset and guarantors of the country’s future. The chief minister expressed these views while addressing a convocation of the University of Peshawar.
Mr Afridi stated that while Pakistan was endowed with abundant natural resources, a talented workforce and one of the world’s youngest populations, but decades of flawed policymaking, maladministration, inefficient utilisation of national resources and the prioritisation of personal interests over the public good had resulted in serious economic, administrative and political challenges.
He said the KP government, in line with the vision of founder PTI Imran Khan, had undertaken comprehensive governance reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and citizen-centric public administration.
Commenting on the country’s economic situation, the chief minister said that Pakistan’s economic challenges could not be addressed merely by imposing additional taxes or increasing petroleum prices.
He recalled that during Mr Khan’s tenure as prime minister, Pakistan’s GDP growth had reached 6.1 percent before subsequent political developments reversed that trajectory and placed the national economy under renewed pressure.
He further stated that Pakistan was currently confronted with mounting domestic and external debt, persistent economic pressures and serious fiscal challenges.
Expressing regret over the discontinuation of the Ehsaas Scholarship Programme, the chief minister said that the initiative, introduced during Mr Khan’s tenure in the federal government, had enabled thousands of talented students from underprivileged and remote areas to pursue higher education.
The chief minister said he had the opportunity to meet several graduates during the convocation who had benefited from the programme, completed their education successfully and gone on to distinguish themselves nationally and internationally.
The chief minister announced that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would revive the Ehsaas Scholarship Programme through its own provincial resources to ensure that no deserving student was deprived of higher education because of financial hardship.
Commenting on the country’s political situation, Mr Afridi said that Mr Khan continued to be a symbol of hope and positive change, adding that the popularity of any political leader or party could only be determined by the people.
He said political differences should always be resolved through constitutional means, democratic principles and the rule of law and stressed that all state institutions must perform their responsibilities strictly within their respective constitutional mandates.
Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2026