Waziristan’s Education City Stagnation

Akhtar Khan Maseed

South Waziristan: In the desolate landscape of South Waziristan, amidst echoes of conflict, a glimmer of hope emerged—the Waziristan Education City project. Launched with great promise two years ago by then Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Higher Education, Kamran Khan Bangash, this ambitious initiative was envisioned as a beacon of progress in a region long plagued by strife and neglect.
However, as time passed, the initial optimism faded, giving way to a profound sense of disillusionment and despair.
Despite grand announcements and lofty aspirations, the project languished in inertia, leaving the dreams of countless children and youth shattered. The proposed Education City, intended to provide hope for marginalised communities, now stands as a stark reminder of broken promises and unfulfilled potential.
Led by Project Director Dr Najeebullah, the project’s early stages showed promise, with plans for infrastructure development and vital partnerships with the private sector.
However, as hope waned and disillusionment grew, progress ground to a halt, leaving the project mired in hopelessness.
As we confront the grim reality of the stalled Waziristan Education City project, urgent intervention is needed to break free from despair. The socio-economic landscape of Waziristan continues to deteriorate, with poverty, unemployment, and despair gripping the region.
The Education City, once hailed as a beacon of opportunity, now stands as a symbol of the government’s failure to deliver on promises and uplift the region.
The prolonged delay in the project’s implementation has inflicted deep wounds on the spirit of the region’s youth. What was once seen as a pathway to a brighter future has become a source of disillusionment.
Economically, the consequences of the project’s stagnation are dire, with missed opportunities for growth and prosperity. The establishment of educational institutions could have sparked entrepreneurship and investment, but bureaucratic inertia has stifled progress, leaving the region trapped in poverty.
In conclusion, the Waziristan Education City project stands as a testament to the government’s failure to deliver on its promises. Urgent action is needed to reignite hope and honour commitments to the region’s future.

Akhtar Khan Maseed is a writer and pathologist based in Peshawar.