Peshawar – Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Thursday said the province had the largest youth population in the country and abundant talent, stressing that providing young people with better opportunities and facilities would enable them to contribute effectively to national development.
Addressing the Physical Therapy Convention as chief guest at Nishtar Hall, organised by the Pakistan Physical Therapy Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Governor said developed countries attached great importance to physical therapy as an essential component of the healthcare system.
Provincial Minister for Health Khaliq-ur-Rehman, former MPA Nighat Orakzai, Association President Dr Pirzada Khattak, Riphah University Dean Dr Asghar Khan, Khyber Medical University (KMU) Dean Dr Haider Dareen, Rehman Medical Institute Dean Dr Muhammad Bin Afsar, Helping Hand Regional Manager Aminullah, Dr Irfan, and a large number of healthcare professionals and physical therapists attended the convention.
The Governor praised Nighat Orakzai for her efforts to promote physical therapy in the province and acknowledged her role in addressing issues faced by professionals in the field. He assured the participants that every possible effort would be made to resolve the demands of physical therapists and said he would personally advocate for their rights.
Kundi said efforts would also be made to establish an allergy centre in Peshawar on the pattern of the one in Islamabad. He pledged to take up the demand for house jobs for physical therapists with the provincial health minister and Chief Minister.
He said increased investment in the health sector would improve public services and expressed hope that issues relating to new healthcare facilities and the appointment of physical therapists in every district would also be addressed.
The Governor said that despite political differences, he would continue working with the provincial government for the welfare of youth and to resolve the problems faced by physical therapists.
Meanwhile, Governor Kundi, during a visit to the PCSIR Laboratories Complex on University Road, lauded the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) for its contribution to scientific research and industrial development.
Director General PCSIR Sohail Ameer Marwat briefed the Governor on the institution’s establishment, services, research facilities, ongoing Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects, and future plans. The governor was also informed about the performance and services of the Medical Botanical, Material Science, Food Technology, Calibration, Engineering Services, and Dimension Stone centres.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Kundi appreciated the research and technical contributions of PCSIR scientists and experts, saying the institution was rendering valuable services in the fields of defence, engineering, minerals, cosmetics, and herbal products. He said PCSIR’s research capabilities were playing an important role in promoting the country’s scientific and industrial progress.
The Governor also inspected products developed by various PCSIR centres and praised their quality. He urged the institution to showcase its products at exhibitions across the country to highlight Pakistan’s research and industrial potential.
