Every morning, 16-year-old Khadija Bibi leaves her Kurram home and climbs a hill. She holds up her phone, searching for enough signal to download notes, submit assignments and attend online classes.
“We live in an area where there is still no reliable internet signal,” Khadija told The Express Tribune. “We frequently miss online classes and cannot submit assignments on time.”
Khadija studies BS Computer Science at Benazir Women University Peshawar. She described poor connectivity as an obstacle to her education.
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“The world is talking about 5G technology, but we are still deprived of even basic internet services. This is affecting our education and limiting our future opportunities,” she said.
Her experience mirrors the challenges facing girls across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s merged districts. Poverty, insecurity and inadequate schools already restrict education. Unreliable internet has created another barrier despite efforts to expand digital learning.
Education and Internet Access Remain Critically Low
Residents and education advocates say many schools lack computer labs. Some have designated labs but no computers or internet access.
BISP data puts the out-of-school rate at 66 per cent in North Waziristan. It stands at 63 per cent in Bajaur and 61 per cent in South Waziristan. The rate is 51 per cent in Mohmand and Khyber, and 47 per cent in Kurram and Orakzai.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Women Empowerment Policy 2026-2030 says only 11 per cent of women in the merged districts can access the internet. Female literacy stands at just 17 per cent. The province launched it in March 2026 with the KP Commission on the Status of Women and UN Women.
Qamar Naseem, programme manager at Blue Veins and Malala Fund Education Champion for Pakistan, said remote communities remained excluded.
“Even where network coverage exists, girls often do not own smartphones, cannot afford internet packages and have to rely on borrowed devices,” he said.
“In many parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, particularly the merged districts, girls’ use of mobile phones and the internet is often viewed with suspicion. Families impose restrictions because of concerns over online safety, social pressure, and cultural norms,” he added.
Naseem said 35 per cent of women using mobile internet borrow an enabled phone. Only 6 per cent of male users do the same.
Experts Demand Connectivity and Better Transport
World Bank digital inclusion consultant Karishma Zakiullah said signals alone would not solve the problem. Women also need improved mobility.
“Extending Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services to the merged districts would improve access to education, training centres and employment.”
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“Even today, girls in the merged districts continue to face inadequate digital infrastructure and limited educational opportunities. The government and telecommunications authorities must prioritise these districts and ensure they receive the same quality of internet services available in settled areas,” she said.
The Express Tribune said KPITB and PTA did not answer repeated requests for comment.
