PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced plans to establish a state-of-the-art innovation hub to promote online businesses, private IT companies, startups, and entrepreneurs in the province.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur chaired a meeting of the Higher Education and Information Technology Department to review the project. The meeting was attended by the Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on IT, secretaries of both departments, and other officials.
The innovation hub will be set up at the University of Peshawar. It will use the building of the university’s existing incubation center. The new facility will include 22 private offices, two large event halls, a conference room, a board room, two committee rooms, and two co-working spaces.
Officials briefed the Chief Minister that the hub will function as a multi-purpose IT center. It will provide a professional environment for students, startups, and IT professionals. All services needed for startups will be available under one roof.
The university is expected to earn up to Rs. 60 million annually from the innovation hub. The Chief Minister said the project would make the university financially stable and create new job opportunities for youth in the IT sector.
He directed officials to ensure the hub is launched at the earliest. After its success, similar hubs will be established in other universities across the province.
The meeting also approved, in principle, the creation of “digital connects” in divisional headquarters. These centers will be initially set up in rented buildings and will include IT parks, co-working spaces, and computer labs.
Chief Minister Gandapur said the goal is to give youth in every division access to IT facilities. He stressed the need to equip provincial institutions with modern technology. The government will prioritize funding for this initiative.
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“We must create the right environment for IT growth,” the Chief Minister said. “Our youth will drive innovation, and we must support them every step of the way.”
