The civil administration on Wednesday ordered the closure of schools in several flood-affected districts of Punjab to ensure the safety of students and staff amid rising water levels in major rivers.
According to officials, all public and private schools in Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, and Pasrur will remain closed from August 27, 2025, until further review.
Deputy Commissioner Sialkot Saba Asghar Ali, in a notification, stated: “In order to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff amid torrential rains and the resulting flood situation, all public and private schools (Primary, Middle, High, and Higher Secondary) in District Sialkot shall remain closed on August 27, 2025. The closure will remain in effect until further review.”
The order also directed school heads to suspend all on-campus academic and co-curricular activities during this period.
Authorities have declared a public holiday in Sialkot and Gujrat as floodwaters continue to rise. Residents have been advised to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and keep away from rivers and streams due to the heightened flood risk.
The National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has issued an urgent warning of extraordinary flooding in the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers, urging immediate evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas. According to NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider, more than 190,000 people have already been evacuated from flood-hit regions of Punjab.
District officials, including Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Noor-ul-Ain Qureshi and Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Saba Asghar Ali, visited Head Marala to review the situation. DC Qureshi confirmed that 20 people trapped under Shahbazpur Bridge had been successfully rescued.
Meanwhile, mobile phone services have been disrupted across Gujrat, with internet connectivity reported to be extremely slow or unavailable in several areas.