Metro, schools and traffic all suffer – Why universities shift classes online?

Metro, schools and traffic all suffer – Why universities shift classes online?

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October, 13 2025

LAHORE (Web Desk): Ongoing protests by a religio-political party in Lahore have severely affected educational activities in colleges and universities across the city.

Punjab University has postponed all physical classes and shifted to online learning due to the uncertain situation.

According to a Punjab University spokesperson, after the postponement of LLB final exams, all classes scheduled for October 14 will now be conducted online. Both morning and evening students have been instructed to attend virtual sessions.

The spokesperson added that regular academic activities will resume once the situation returns to normal, while the semester exams scheduled for October 14 will be rescheduled.

Similarly, the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) has also suspended all on-campus classes. The university confirmed that classes for both morning and evening shifts will now be held online.

However, Punjab’s Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat announced that all government and private schools in the province will open as usual.

The protests have caused major disruptions in Lahore, with daily life coming to a standstill in many areas. Several educational institutions on Multan Road were also closed as a security precaution.

Key city roads — including Yateem Khana Chowk, Chungi Amar Sidhu, Ferozepur Road, Kahna, Daroghawala, and parts of Ring Road — were blocked, worsening traffic chaos and causing severe inconvenience to citizens.

Meanwhile, the Orange Line Metro Train remained suspended for the fifth consecutive day, while Metro Bus service was halted for the fourth day in a row. With public transport shut down, residents were forced to rely on rickshaws, motorcycles, and private vehicles. Students, employees, women, and elderly citizens suffered the most from the travel disruptions.