The Sindh Education and Literacy Department has announced on Tuesday to close all public and private educational institutions in the province due to security reasons. All schools and colleges would remain closed until Oct 24 (Saturday), whereas all universities would remain closed today (Wednesday).

The decision has been taken in wake of the twin blasts at the International Islamic University in Islamabad. The Pakistan Army is currently engaged in an operation, Rah-e-Nijat, in South Waziristan, and the attacks in Islamabad have raised security fears for educational institutions all over the country.

The education department has also postponed the interviews, which were to be held today, regarding appointments for the posts of assistant computer operator, electrician, junior clerk and lab assistant, under the Regional Directorate for Colleges, Karachi.

All universities across the province have postponed the scheduled examinations until further notice. The NED University of Engineering and Technology has issued a notification that said, “The examination scheduled for October 21 has been postponed until further notification.”

University of Karachi’s (KU) controller of examinations has issued a similar notification. The KU administration has tightened security measures on its campus, and has requested the students to enter the campus with their identification cards and to keep a watchful eye on their surroundings.

The threat of militant attacks also prevails in Sindh where the security agencies are conducting raids to rupture the terrorists’ network. The Private Schools Management Association has welcomed the government’s decision.

A representative of the association, Sharfuz Zaman, told Daily Times that terrorists could attack anyone in such a volatile atmosphere and that any attack on a school could be disastrous, adding, “Schools and colleges are an easy target.”