Role of Youth in Development of KPK and FATA

Youth, anywhere in the world, carry the burden of future. The region of KPK and FATA, marred by terrorism and poverty, is today one of the most unstable regions of the world. The already tardy wheel of development is further slowed down by the post 9/11 scenario. Youth of this region need more than anyone and more than ever to contribute to development of their region. As if poverty, unawareness, lack of education, lack of infrastructure, wasn’t enough, the label of terrorists has further jeopardized prospects of investment and development. We have more responsibility on our shoulders than any other average youth of Pakistan. We lagged behind and are now pushed further backward by the brutal forces of time and circumstances.

As youth of this under-privileged area, we need to recognize the call of the hour right in our prime, when our energies and spirits are high. Our problem is that we are distracted and disoriented as a whole. Disgruntled, dissatisfied, but not ready to take matters in our own hands and do our due bit. We need direction. There’s an enormous amount of time and energy we waste on a daily basis on mindless gossip, needless texting, and God knows what else. We need channelization. Region of KPK has immensely fertile minds and unwavering wills:  The fountain of youth that flows within us needs to be harnessed and utilized before it dries away with time.

So what do we do? Our primary weapon is education. Improvement always starts at a personal level and goes beyond. Educated, aware youth can not only guarantee better lives for our families but can contribute to the greater development of the society. And by education, I don’t mean a mere degree; there should be awareness and realization of ground realities, and a sense of responsibility towards the society. We don’t want feudal lords who themselves are educated abroad, but hamper any activity to bring education and awareness to their subjects.

Also, the avenues of education are broader than ever before. Now no more restricted to medical, engineering being the “only” worthy fields, there’s a variety of academic programs to hone the very skills that a student has. This has given the youth a brighter chance of training and excelling in their fields. Add to it the trend of entrepreneur ship: kind of novel but catching fast in KPK. We are getting better equipped to find solutions in problems, to create opportunity in fiasco.

With promoting education, it’s required to promote the concept of Community Service alongside. Bettering your community in the smallest way possible can go a long way, like taking up education projects, awareness campaigns, training programs, etc, with willing partners. Over the past few years, a few such Youth Organizations have emerged in Peshawar, which are doing a commendable job in directing their energies to community projects, and they’re being patronized by higher authorities. These are good designs and it is hoped the radius of these activities will expand far.

Armed with newer technologies and newer ideas, and connection to whole world, today’s youth is potent to raise voice and take measures at levels our elders could never imagine. Cyber world is a great platform that youth is already using to create awareness, build teams and take up projects for betterment of community. Flood relief activities, cleanliness campaigns, Polio awareness drives, youth leadership events… I didn’t hear of them when I was a child but my generation has started doing this and much more. The spirit to serve is complemented by the spirit to lead and in this process, we’re producing true leaders. 

Then there’s the issue of brain drain. Those who get the opportunity to acquire good education and rewarding careers, carry the responsibility of paying their community’s debt. They should be the agents of change & development: get the wisdom from the world over but stay connected with their roots and introduce whatever measure of development they can to their people. Build schools, hospitals, welfare centers, etc or support existing ones. The room for improvement is immense; scope of development vast. When Greg Mortenson, an American, who had no initial interest in Pakistan other than climbing K2, can recognize this need and build 32 schools in remote areas with his own meager savings and funding through campaigning, why can’t sons and daughter of this soil?

When the world is pointing fingers at us for international heinous crimes, and isolating us on a global level, it’s up to us, the youth, to filter out the noise of accusations, and shun this label of ignorance and terrorism. And we need to work with perseverance for that, with no room for despair or despondency.  Our ancestors have given them the chance to make laughing stock out of us; it’s up to us to create new identity for ourselves. It can’t be achieved over the night, but only through planning and implementation of development ideas. We, the Pathans and non-Pathans of KPK and FATA, are peace-loving people who can turn the wheel of time and with God’s will, they will. We’re Iqbal’s “mard-e-kohistani”, his true Spartan “Shaheens”; we’re gallant but lovely people, and it’s time we put ourselves in line with the rest of the world. We just need to set our mind to it, and history proves that no one, absolutely no one can subjugate the will of our people, our youth.
By : Midhat Un Nisa
BCS UoP Peshawar