The Silent Youth Centers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

 

The dust had settled, not on the construction sites, but on unresolved questions. Deep in the center of Peshawar, a reporter tapped his pen on a pile of shiny photographs, the pictures of newly constructed Youth Centers taunting him with their silent promise. Thirty-five districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were being gifted these centers, designed to empower the youth of the region, but the details, the blood of accountability, remained obstinately hidden.

It started with a humble query, submitted under the Right to Information Act on March 17, 2025. Sahai, an old hand at journalism with a keen sense of smell for transparency, wanted to shed light on the reality of these promising buildings. He wished to know the price, the timeline, the very heartbeat of these projects. The reply, however, was a photo gallery of facades – places and images, without substance.

"They sent me postcards, not answers," Sahai growled, anger evident in his tone. "Where is the budget? The deadline? Are these facilities open?"

Unfazed, he wrote a second letter, refining his queries, insisting on clarity. He asked for the exact budget and project estimates at each center, the estimated date of completion, the percentage completed, the operating status, and a list of operating centers and their available facilities. He realized the devil is in the details, and the details were being kept hidden deliberately.

The silence from the Youth Directorate was thunderous. The rich potential of youth power was receding into the shadow of administrative obfuscation. Sahai raised the stakes, making a fresh application to the Right to Information Commission, an appeal of last resort to make public information publicly accessible.

"Hiding the information of a project constructed with public tax funds is alarming," he stated, the words reflecting the increasing concern among the people. "If everything is transparent, then what is wrong in informing the public about the budget, deadline of completion and the real state of the centers?"

The youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the target beneficiaries of the centres, were left in suspension of doubt. Were these buildings symbols of hope, or hollow shells of shattered promises? The truth remained hidden under the sheaths of bureaucratic silence, to be dug out. The destiny of these centers, and the trust of the masses, was hanging by a thread.

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