CHITRAL: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday once again extended a hand of cooperation to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, urging him to work together for eliminating terrorism jointly and making the country prosperous and developed.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Daanish School near Isphagh Lasht in Chitral, the premier said he was hopeful that the KP chief minister would eventually accept his sincere invitation for unity and collaboration.
The prime minister stressed that he had deep respect for democracy and the people’s mandate, noting that after the KP government was formed, he personally congratulated CM Sohail Afridi and invited him to cooperate in the national development agenda — an offer that was initially declined.
“Despite that, my invitation still stands,” Shehbaz said, “because our mission is to make Pakistan greater than ever before, in accordance with the vision of Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.”
Reiterating his offer through the chief secretary and inspector general of police, who attended the event, the prime minister said that political differences should not hinder national unity and that both the federal and provincial governments must focus on public welfare and economic uplift.
He praised the patriotism, discipline, and sense of duty of the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, particularly those living in Chitral, describing them as “educated, civilised, and peace-loving citizens” who had achieved much despite limited educational and development opportunities.
Highlighting the PMLN’s long-standing commitment to the region’s progress, Shehbaz Sharif recalled that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had always prioritised development projects in Chitral, including roads, schools, and health facilities. He said the establishment of the Daanish School would open new opportunities for the region’s children, helping them contribute to Pakistan’s bright future.
The premier said the country was moving on the road to progress and it had earned a distinguished place in the comity of nations.
He said Pakistani forces, under valiant leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, inflicted clear defeat on India in May this year. He recalled that US President Donald Trump also lauded Pakistan’s achievements on several occasions, and acknowledged his role in averting further conflict in the region.
Calling Daanish School a special gift from the federal government to the people of Chitral, Shehbaz said such a high-standard institution was once a dream for the area but had now become a reality.
He assured that the Daanish School would maintain standards comparable to those of Aitchison College, offering free education, boarding, and lodging to underprivileged and orphaned students. “These children will have the same opportunities as those studying at elite institutions,” he added.
The prime minister announced that construction work on Daanish School building would begin in December this year and completed within a year.
He also highlighted the success of the federal government’s laptop distribution programme, which has benefitted hundreds of thousands of students across the country.
Announcing several major development projects for Chitral, the prime minister said the government would establish a university and a state-of-the-art hospital in Upper Chitral and complete the 153-kilometre Chitral-Shandur Road by December 2026. He also announced completion of a gas plant project, initiated during the Nawaz Sharif government.
The PM directed Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari to visit Chitral next week to address the issue of uniform electricity tariffs for Upper Chitral.
Earlier, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and Safron Amir Muqam highlighted the performance of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) government and praised the prime minister’s efforts. He criticised the KP government for “choosing confrontation over performance-based politics.”
Former MNA Shahzada Iftikharuddin presented an address of welcome to the prime minister, while PMLN Lower Chitral President Abdul Wali Khan Advocate and Upper Chitral President Syed Ahmad Khan were also present.
