Educational institutes to close ahead of General Elections 2024

There is unverified news circulating on social media that the Pakistani government is going to close educational institutes for 8 days ahead of the general elections in 2024.

According to unofficial sources, all educational institutes in Pakistan will close on Sunday, Feb 4. As well as for Kashmir Day on Feb 5 ahead of the general elections. Following this, institutes will remain closed throughout the election period from Feb 6 to Feb 10.

Eight-day closure for educational institutions during general elections?

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— The Truth International (@ttimagazine) January 22, 2024

Notably, February has two public holidays, one on Feb 5 for Kashmir Day and another on Feb 8 for general elections. However, it is significant to remember that official authorities have yet to confirm these reports.

Earlier reports suggested that educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) would close from Feb 7 to Feb 9 ahead of the elections.

However, a formal announcement from the Pakistani government and relevant authorities is thought to come in the first week of February. Local authorities may also propose extending the holidays in response to rising terrorist attacks.

The authorities of Islamabad have already closed all educational institutes in Islamabad due to the fear of a terrorist strike on Jan 22, 2024. According to sources, there were specific threats of terror strikes at three military-run universities. Bahria, National Defense, and Air University were on high threat alert.

The government has closed the educational institutes, including Bahria and Air University in Islamabad, owing to terrorist attack threats.

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— TabloidPK (@tabloidpk) January 22, 2024

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This decision came after frequent violent attacks by the banned terrorist organization TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) in recent months. TTP has specifically targeted police check posts and Pakistani military bases in Pakistan. These attacks have taken the lives of several soldiers and security personnel and thousands of them are injured.

Moreover, many politicians have expressed security concerns ahead of elections owing to terrorist attacks. Senators have passed resolutions three times to delay elections in 2024 due to rising incidents of terror attacks.

Meanwhile, an independent candidate, Kaleemullah Khan, died due to the deadliest attack in North Waziristan during the election campaign. Aslam Buledi, the PML-N candidate, also became a victim of a terror attack on the same day. But, he survived the attack.

Considering all these factors, the government may decide to close educational institutes ahead of the general elections in 2024.