Are schools open tomorrow in Islamabad?

ISLAMABAD: Authorities have dismissed media reports of closure of schools and colleges in the federal capital due to security threats and announced that all government and private educational institutions will remain open on Tuesday (tomorrow).

The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) issued an advisory on Monday, asking private schools to ensure security measures, clarifying that no notification had been issued regarding the closure of schools.

The advisory came after several TV channels reported that educational institutions in Islamabad had been shut down for an indefinite period of time due to security threats.

According to the advisory, private schools have been instructed to impose a complete ban on visitors/outside people on the school premises, conduct proper checking, inform security agencies immediately of any kind of suspicious (person/bag etc), install security cameras (CCTV) and monitor them properly, and put barbed wires on boundary walls.

Meanwhile, the Federal Directorate of Education, which oversees public schools and colleges in the federal capital, said that all public sector institutions will remain open on Wednesday as usual.

The Islamabad police also assured that the situation was under control in Islamabad and there was no need to panic.

In a video statement released on social media platform X, Islamabad police chief Dr Akbar Nasir said: “There are some reports circulating regarding schools and colleges in Islamabad. I want to tell you that the security and law and order situation in Islamabad are under control.”

موجودہ سیکیورٹی حالات کے تناظر میں آئی سی سی پی او ڈاکٹر اکبر ناصر خاں کا اہم پیغام۔#ICTP #Islamabad pic.twitter.com/n49izwHVGm

— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) January 22, 2024

He added that the situation in Islamabad did not warrant any disruption in the daily life of the residents and urged them to continue going to schools or colleges. He also advised the citizens to follow the police’s social media accounts for further updates.

Separately, the focal person to Islamabad’s additional deputy commissioner, Ali Khan, told Dawn.com that no notification pertaining to closure of educational institutions had been issued.