Educational institutions to remain closed in Punjab for two days

LAHORE: The provincial authorities have decided to keep all educational institutions closed for the next two days owing to precarious law and order situation in the province.

Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashood Ahmed said the decision to keep all schools, colleges and universities closed on Monday and Tuesday was taken due to sit-ins and demonstrations by religious parties across the province.

Protests erupted across the country after security forces launched a crackdown to break up a sit-in by activists of the religious group camped at Islamabad’s Faizabad Interchange.

After expiry of a deadline given to the protesters in Islamabad, the law enforcement agencies launched a crackdown on Satuday morning to evict the demonstrators.

Islamabad police along with the personnel of the Frontier Constabulary and other law enforcement agencies had launched crackdown against the protesters who have camped out at the Faizabad Interchange for over two weeks. Hospital sources say at least five people were killed while 188 others were injured during the operation.

The government shut social media and asked cable operators to shut news channels across Pakistan after the protest spread to several other cities of the country.