Summary KP launches free public Wi-Fi in Peshawar, with expansion planned across the province to boost digital access and governance.
PESHAWAR (Web Desk) – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has officially launched the KP Open Wi-Fi initiative, aimed at expanding free internet access across the province.
Under the first phase of the project, free Wi-Fi services will be available at government hospitals and public transport facilities in Peshawar. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the chief minister also announced that all public universities and colleges across the province will receive free Wi-Fi connectivity.
He said the initial phase would cover key public locations in Peshawar before expanding to all divisional headquarters, including Abbottabad, Mardan, Swat, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.
Sohail Afridi said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had already achieved nearly 70 to 80 percent progress toward digital governance, adding that the provincial government was working to gradually transform public services into a paperless system.
He said the initiative reflected the vision of PTI founder Imran Khan to ensure digital services reach every citizen.
The chief minister noted that internet access was creating new employment and business opportunities for young people, stressing that providing economic opportunities for youth was the state's responsibility. He also welcomed the growing trend of e-commerce in Pakistan.
Criticising internet slowdowns and service disruptions, Afridi described them as harmful to young people, saying such restrictions hinder economic and educational opportunities.
He further pointed out that many merged districts still lacked basic infrastructure, with some areas deprived not only of internet access but also mobile phone services.
Expressing concern over the country's economic challenges, the chief minister said creating business and employment opportunities for citizens remained essential. He added that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government considered public service its top priority and expressed confidence that the 2026-27 fiscal year would bring peace, development and prosperity to the province.
