Schools reopen in five border districts of Punjab after six days

Educational institutions were closed in districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Pathankot, Fazilka and Ferozepur in view of the military standoff between India and Pakistan last week.

Schools in five Punjab districts bordering Pakistan reopened on Wednesday, six days after they were ordered to be closed in view of the military standoff between India and Pakistan, officials said.

Students are all smiles as they arrive to attend school in Amritsar on Wednesday. The district administration said schools would remain open from 10.30am to 2.30pm. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

The state government on May 8 ordered the closure of academic institutions for three days as a military standoff between India and Pakistan soared. While schools in most districts reopened on Monday, they remained shut in the six border districts.

Punjab shares a 553km border with Pakistan, spanning the districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Pathankot, Fazilka, Ferozepur and Gurdaspur.

While schools in Gurdaspur reopened on Tuesday, those in the other five border districts followed suit on Wednesday.

“We are reopening school today as per the government guidelines,” said a teacher at Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, at Attari in Amritsar.

The Amritsar district administration on Tuesday said schools would remain open from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

In Pathankot, a teacher said student attendance was at 80% on the first day after reopening of schools. “We appeal to all parents to send their children to school,” said the teacher.

The situation remained normal in border areas of Punjab with markets teeming with people and schools reopening.

India and Pakistan reached an agreement on May 10 to halt military actions after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.