The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism, Syed Aqil Shah has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth policy will be formulated in consultation with all stakeholders and presented before cabinet for approval in two months and Chief Minister, Amir Haider Khan Hoti will announce it.

            He was addressing a press Conference regarding formulation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Policy at Conference Hall of Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TC KP) Peshawar on Tuesday. Secretary Tourism and Youth Affairs Syed Jamaluddin Shah, DG Sports Engr. Dr. Khan Zeb, Lubna Tajik, Provincial Coordinator UNFPA and Sabiha Shaheen, Executive Director Bargad were also present on the occasion. Syed Aqil Shah thanked UNFPA and Bargad for extending technical and financial supports in formulating the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa youth policy. He hoped the policy would truly be the voice of youth of the province that would give the youth a vision to go forward and make development in various fields. He said the youth and all other concerned stakeholders could directly participate in the consultative process of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Policy formulation through accessing website www.kpyouthpolicy.pk. He said the government was planning to give employment opportunities, vocational training and soft term loans to youth. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had no youth affairs directorate but now we had been allowed to establish youth affairs wing to redress the problems of youth. He said his ministry would build five youth hostel one each at Naran, Khanispur, Chitral and two at Swat.

            Secretary Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism, Syed Jamaluddin Shah, on this occasion highlighted purpose of the youth policy formulation and the efforts so far made in this regard. Ms. Lubna Tajik Provincial Coordinator UNFPA and Ms. Sabiha Shaheen Executive Director Bargad on the occasion, hoped to be successful in preparing a policy document based on wider consultation and input from all stakeholders particularly youth. They said consultative meetings in 10 different districts of the province would be held in order to ensure representation of all youth groups in youth policy formulation including students, minorities, underprivileged youth, special youth, sports persons and youth organizations. They said civil society organizations, media, elected representatives and government officials would also be consulted to develop consensus and ownership of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Policy.