Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi has formally launched the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Open Wi-Fi project, under which free internet access will initially be provided at government hospitals and public transport locations in Peshawar.
Addressing the launch ceremony in Peshawar, the chief minister announced that free Wi-Fi facilities will also be extended to all public universities and colleges across the province.
He said the first phase will cover key government sites in Peshawar, while the next phase will expand the project to all divisional headquarters, including Abbottabad, Mardan, Swat, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.
The chief minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has moved nearly 70 to 80 percent toward digital governance, with the government working to make public services paperless in phases. He said digital facilities will be delivered to every citizen in line with the vision of Imran Khan.
He said the internet is creating new employment and business opportunities for young people, adding that providing economic opportunities to youth is the responsibility of the state. He noted that the growing trend of e-commerce in Pakistan is a positive development.
The chief minister criticized internet slowdowns and shutdowns, calling them condemnable and harmful to young people. He said the merged districts still lack basic facilities, with mobile phone service unavailable in many areas, let alone internet access.
