2 Universities Announce Online Classes Amid Protests

Several universities near Islamabad and Rawalpindi have reportedly begun transitioning classes online due to heightened security preparations for an upcoming protest on September 27. HITEC University Taxila and COMSATS University Islamabad’s Wah and Attock campuses announced that they will move to online classes starting September 24 until further notice.

This decision follows authorities bolstering security in Attock, Taxila, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s planned march toward the capital. Security has notably increased in Attock, a crucial route linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab and Islamabad, prompting the deployment of around 30,000 personnel in the area.

The Punjab government has also sought Rangers deployment in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, and Mianwali. Islamabad has commandeered 24 public educational institutions to house security personnel during the preparations. However, as of Wednesday, no widespread notice had been issued to shift universities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to online classes. COMSATS Islamabad, for instance, still lists an on-campus event for September 24.