Third season of Peshawar Literature Festival opens at Nishtar Hall

PESHAWAR: The third edition of the Peshawar Literature Festival began at Nishtar Hall on Monday, bringing a range of discussions, performances and youth-focused activities to the provincial capital.

The event has been organised by the Directorate of Youth Affairs in collaboration with the Culture, Literature, and Development Organisation (CLADO). The opening day featured several sessions, including one designed for children with multiple activities, while panel discussions, an open mic segment and entrepreneurs remained among the main attractions.

Opening panel focuses on youth and women

The inaugural panel, titled Youth, Women and the Future of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, brought together speakers from civil society, government and development sectors to discuss key issues facing the province.

According to the organisers, the discussion examined the future direction of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through the lens of youth development, women’s participation and public policy. The speakers presented differing perspectives shaped by their professional experiences, but shared concern over the province’s future.

Zubair Khattak spoke about government efforts aimed at making use of the province’s large youth population through skills training and employment-related initiatives. Shafeeq Gigyani argued that slogans alone were not enough and called for the creation of a genuine ecosystem that could support young entrepreneurs and reduce the divide between urban and rural areas.

Amna Durrani drew attention to continuing obstacles faced by women in education, economic activity and access to justice, and called for structural changes to turn demographic potential into meaningful equality. Abdur Rahman said policy-making should remain grounded in the lived experiences behind the numbers, pointing to stories of resilience and ambition.

The discussion remained candid and, at times, urgent. Participants acknowledged the province’s cultural richness and youthful population, but said that without stronger investment in quality education, digital literacy, vocational skills and women’s inclusion, the demographic advantage could become a burden. Youth unemployment, conservative social attitudes and the need for innovation rooted in local realities were among the central themes raised during the exchange.

Students and young professionals attending the session also posed questions about implementation, accountability and the role of literature and the arts in encouraging social change.

"As the world races toward artificial intelligence, we must move beyond being mere consumers and aim to become creators and contributors. This requires a clear national vision to play a meaningful role in shaping the future of AI. At the core of this shift is strong investment in critical thinking and science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education. Without these foundations, our engagement with AI will remain limited and dependent," Shafeeq Gigyani said during the discussion on the first day of the festival.

Festival aims to encourage youth engagement

Shahbuddin Khan, the chief organiser, said the central purpose of the festival was to encourage young people to confront contemporary challenges and contribute voluntarily toward meaningful social change.

The opening day concluded with a musical performance by noted Pashto folk singer Fayyaz Khan Kheshgi, who entertained the audience at the end of the programme.

The festival’s first day reflected a mix of literary engagement, public discussion and cultural expression, with organisers placing particular emphasis on youth participation and social development.