Punjab schools to face smart lockdown?

Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has dismissed rumours of a smart lockdown in educational institutions, assuring that academic activities across the province will continue as normal.

Speaking in Lahore, the minister said there was currently no proposal to introduce such measures and urged parents not to believe misinformation or disinformation.

He said schools were operating five days a week, from Monday to Friday, adding that he personally believed educational institutions should remain open five days a week.

“If markets and bazaars are open, schools should not be closed,” he said, noting that around 90% of schoolchildren attend institutions near their homes.

The minister added that if the federal government proposed any such decision, he would urge authorities to ensure the continuation of education under all circumstances.

It may be noted that the federal government has notified sweeping austerity and fuel conservation measures to conserve energy as fuel prices spike due to the Middle East conflict, with all shops, markets, and shopping malls in Islamabad closing at 9pm throughout the week.

However, the new austerity measures are initially limited to Islamabad, with the federal government encouraging provincial and regional governments to consider adopting similar measures.