WEBDESK: The civil administration has ordered the closure of schools in several flood-hit districts of Punjab to protect students and staff.
According to officials, all public and private schools in Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat and Pasrur will remain closed from 27 August until further notice.
Deputy Commissioner Sialkot, Saba Asghar Ali, issued a notification stating: “In order to ensure the safety of students, teachers and staff amid torrential rains and flooding, all schools in Sialkot district will remain closed on 27 August 2025. The closure will stay in effect until further review.”
Heads of educational institutions have been directed to suspend all academic and co curricular activities on campus. The order stressed strict enforcement by authorities. Residents were also advised to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from rivers and streams due to the risk of flooding.
District authorities also declared a public holiday on Wednesday in Gujrat and Sialkot as the flood situation worsened.
Heavy inflows of water from India into the Sutlej and Chenab rivers have triggered a flood alert across Punjab. The National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) issued a warning of extraordinary flooding in the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers. Residents in vulnerable areas have been urged to evacuate immediately.
NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider confirmed that more than 190,000 people have already been evacuated from affected areas as water levels continue to rise, threatening lives and property.
Deputy Commissioners Noor-ul-Ain Qureshi (Gujrat) and Saba Asghar Ali (Sialkot) visited Head Marala to monitor the situation. Twenty people trapped under Shahbazpur Bridge were rescued successfully, DC Qureshi confirmed.
Meanwhile, mobile phone services have been disrupted in Gujrat, with internet connectivity reported to be very slow or completely unavailable in several areas.
