India-Pakistan tensions: Educational institutions in five Jammu districts to remain closed on May 9 amid prevailing security situation

Amid the ongoing tensions along India-Pakistan border, all schools, colleges, and educational institutions, both private and government-run, will remain closed on Thursday, May 9, in five districts of Jammu and Kashmir, as per an official order issued on Thursday.

The directive, announced by the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, applies to the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch. The closure order has been taken in view of the “prevailing situation” in the region.

This coordinated response comes in the aftermath of precision strikes carried out by Indian armed forces under "Operation Sindoor" on terror infrastructure located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes followed the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed.


"In view of the prevailing situation, all schools, colleges & educational institutions (private as well as Government) in the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch shall remain closed tomorrow on 9th May as well," the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, posted on X (formerly Twitter).


Simultaneously, in Punjab, district authorities have closed all schools in six border districts—Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran—until further notice.

Also Read: 'I don’t need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found & who called him martyr'- Foreign Secy Vikram Misri slams Pakistan

The Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner issued an order stating that all schools in the district will remain closed from May 8 to 11. In Ferozepur, schools will remain shut for the next 72 hours, officials said.

Security forces are on high alert, and all leaves of police personnel in the affected Punjab districts have been cancelled. In Gurdaspur, authorities have announced an eight-hour daily blackout from 9 pm starting Thursday until further orders. Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) suspended the daily ceremonial retreat at all three Indo-Pak border check posts in Punjab.

In Amritsar, the administration has formed a special task force to prevent hoarding and black marketing of essentials such as food items, milk, dairy products, fuel, and animal fodder. Officials assured that there is no shortage of essentials like oil, gas, or medicines, and urged residents not to indulge in bulk buying. On Wednesday, several people were seen queuing at shops to stock up on daily supplies.