QUETTA; Education authorities in two provinces have announced significant schedule changes, with Balochistan implementing a lengthy winter closure for its cold regions and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shifting school timings in Charsadda district following a fatal fog-related accident.
In Balochistan, the government has issued a new schedule for winter vacations, targeting the province’s colder areas. According to the directive, all government schools in these specified regions will observe an extended closure period, effectively shutting down for two and a half months starting from December 16, 2025. The formal winter vacation period is set from December 23, 2025, to January 11, 2026. All educational institutions are scheduled to reopen on January 13, 2026, which will also mark the commencement of the new academic year. The move is a standard annual measure to protect students from the severe winter conditions prevalent in these areas.
Conversely, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Charsadda district administration has enacted an immediate change to school hours. A tragic accident yesterday, where a school van collided with a truck in dense fog, resulted in the deaths of two children and left 21 others injured. In response, the Deputy Commissioner announced that all schools in Charsadda will now operate from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. On Fridays, the school day will be shortened, running from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The official stated this decision was taken in the public interest to enhance the safety of children during the winter fog season.
In an unrelated incident, a major fire broke out in the Kaghan market, completely destroying a 50-room hotel. The building was reduced to ashes, though details regarding the cause of the fire or potential casualties were not immediately available.
Meanwhile Ali Parvez Malik stated that the levy imposed on petroleum products was specifically introduced to finance road construction projects in Balochistan, and so far, nearly Rs 66 billion has been collected under this initiative.
While responding to questions during a session of the Senate of Pakistan, he explained that a charge of Rs 7 to 8 per liter was added to fuel prices for this purpose and the collected amount has been transferred to the Planning Commission.
