Security issues: Universities extend vacation to Jan 9

Rawalpindi schools, colleges will remain closed till Jan 12.

ISLAMABAD: Major universities have extended their ‘winter vacation’ to January 9 after they were abruptly closed on December 19 due to security concerns in wake of the Peshawar school attack. 

National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), National University of Modern Languages (NUML), and International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on Saturday announced to extend the break to January 9.

Qaud-e-Azam University will also remain shut till January 9, according to a spokesperson.

NUML, however, has announced that its administration will remain functional and the exams will be held as per scheduled from January 13.

Islamabad Police SSP Asmatullah Junejo says a few universities were on terrorists’ hit-list. “A few varsities are on the terrorists’ hit-list, but we asked all universities to shut down as a precaution,” he told The Express Tribune on Saturday.

Public schools and colleges in Islamabad had also announced vacation till December 31. Private institutes will remain closed till January 4. All schools and colleges will most likely extend the vacation to January 9 too.

Punjab government has also announced to extend winter vacation for public schools and colleges to January 12.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2014.