Pakistan's Punjab govt shuts all educational institutions till Sunday, amid tensions

Pakistan's Punjab province government on Thursday announced the closure of all educational institutions across the province till Sunday, amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. "All educational institutions -- public and private -- will remain closed till May 11," a Punjab government notification said.

The Maryam Nawaz government has also declared an emergency in all hospitals of the province, allocating 50 per cent of the total beds to meet any emergency in the wake of tensions between India and Pakistan.

"In the light of the ongoing escalation between Pakistan and India, the competent authority is pleased to declare a health emergency in all public sector tertiary/teaching hospitals in Punjab and you are directed to remain on emergency high alert with immediate effect," the Punjab government said in a directive to the health authorities.


The authorities have been directed to ensure availability of sufficient blood bags, along with an updated list of donors, adequate supplies of medicines, IV fluids, vaccines, surgical/disposables/medical devices and gases.

India launched Operation Sindoor early Wednesday hitting nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

On Thursday, Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said one drone crashed near Lahore and four soldiers sustained injuries as a result of the attack.

An official told PTI that at least four drones hit the Lahore cantonment area.

The armed forces opened fire and played a siren, causing panic among the residents of Lahore's border areas and Defence House Authority, the official added.