LAHORE  -  Educational institutions in Lahore and Rawalpindi and Islamabad will remain closed on December 16 (today), as per official notifications issued by the respective district administrations. The decision applies to all government and private schools and colleges, though universities will remain open. No official explanation has been provided by authorities, leaving the public confused. Unofficial sources suggest that the holiday was declared to honour the martyrs of the 2014 Army Public School (APS) Peshawar terrorist attack and the 1971 Fall of Dhaka. Both events, marked by profound national grief, occur on December 16 and are pivotal in Pakistan’s history.

An unconfirmed statement attributed to Deputy Commissioner Lahore, is being widely circulated. The statement suggests that the closure is intended to commemorate the martyrs of the 2014 Army Public School (APS) Peshawar terrorist attack and the 1971 Fall of Dhaka. However, there’s no mention of any explicit reason in the official notifications issued by the both district administrations. When contacted, senior officials from the school education department and Lahore’s deputy commissioner office expressed surprise at the announcement, stating that they were unaware of the exact reason behind the move. A more pressing concern is the selective implementation of the holiday. If the closures are indeed meant to commemorate these pivotal national tragedies, why were they restricted to Lahore, and Rawalpindi? The decision’s regional focus has left many questioning why other cities and provinces have not been included in the observance.