All schools and colleges would remain closed in Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi on December 16 (tomorrow), the district administrations said on Sunday.

The government did not specify any reason for the announcement, but reports said that the decision was taken in memory of the victims of the Army Public School attack which killed over 130 children in 2014.

A public holiday has been declared in all state and private schools and colleges in the territorial jurisdiction of Rawalpindi and Lahore on Monday (tomorrow), according to the notification.

Moreover, examination papers scheduled for Dec 16 have also been postponed. The new date would be announced later.

At least 132 schoolchildren were martyred when the banned terrorist organisation, the TTP, attacked the school in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The attackers had breached the school compound by scaling a wall and targeted the schoolchildren and their teachers.

Special prayers and Quran Khawani would be offered for the martyred students and teachers of the APS on Monday, Radio Pakistan reported. The KP Education Department has arranged special functions on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the incident.

In September, APS attack survivor Ahmed Nawaz was honoured with the British Empire Medal by King Charles III in recognition of his exceptional services to youth worldwide.

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Earlier this week, the Sindh government announced that there would be a public holiday on December 25 and December 26 (only for Christians) on the occasion of Quaid-i-Azam Day/Christmas.

All offices, autonomous bodies, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations and local councils under the administrative control of the provincial government would be closed except those engaged in essential services.