LAHORE – Punjab’s Education Minister Sikandar Hayat confirmed that all government and private schools across the region will reopen on January 19. This comes after days of confusion over whether the severe cold would push the reopening date further.
Hayat clarified that the winter vacation started on December 20, giving students a total of 30 days off. So far, children have already enjoyed 27 of these winter holidays, and no additional extension will be granted.
The statement brings relief to anxious families and marks the official end of the extended winter break that was imposed due to extreme cold in recent days. Students can now gear up to return to classrooms and resume their studies after a long, chilly hiatus.
In Lahore, fog and cold winds have slowed daily life, with wind speeds recorded at 2 km/h. The city’s Air Quality Index reached 186, ranking it sixth globally for pollution. Met Offcie predicts medium to heavy fog in major cities and morning haze in the Pothohar region.
On the other hand, Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warned of heavy rainfall, snowfall, and dropping temperatures across the region. A western weather system is expected between January 16–19, with heavy rain and snow in Murree, the Galiyat, and other hilly areas from January 20–23, while most Punjab districts, including Lahore, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Sahiwal, Multan, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Bahawalpur—are also likely to experience rain.
Alerts have been sent to local government, health, police, Rescue 1122, and transport departments. Agencies have been instructed to implement precautionary measures, and emergency control rooms will operate 24/7. Rescue 1122 teams are on high alert, and citizens are advised to avoid unnecessary travel.
Dense fog has already disrupted road and air travel across Punjab, including highways near Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan. Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, experienced flight cancellations and delays, affecting departures to Jeddah and Dubai and incoming flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
