All schools in Sindh to remain closed tomorrow amid cyclone warning

• Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah says decision applicable to all public and private schools in province.
• Says decision take due to bad weather and heavy rainfall.
• Earlier, All Sindh Private Schools and Colleges Association had announced closure of all private educational institutions. 

KARACHI: All government and private schools across Sindh will remain close tomorrow (Friday, October 1) amid warnings of a cyclone approaching the province. 

The announcement was made by the Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah late Thursday evening. According to a notification issued in this regard, the minister said the decision was taken in view of the bad weather condition and the heavy rainfall. 

"The decision will be applicable to all public and private schools across the province," the notification said. 

Earlier in the day, All Sindh Private Schools and Colleges Association (ASPSCA) has also announced the closure of educational institutions.

Amid uncertain weather conditions, schools and colleges will remain closed in affected districts, the association's chairman, Haider Ali, said in a statement.

"The decision has been taken as the parents were worried [...] in districts where the weather conditions are fine, the educational institutions will remain open," the chairman added.

Speaking to Geo.tv earlier in the day, Karachi Administrator and Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab had said the government has "so far [taken] no decision to close them [schools]."

Met issues cyclone warning

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued a warning for the likelihood that a cyclonic storm will develop along the Sindh-Makran coast within the next 18 hours.

The Met Office, in the latest advisory issued on Thursday evening, said that "the depression over the northeast Arabian Sea has moved west-northwestward at a speed of 20km/h during last 12 hours, and now lies at latitude 23.0N and longitude 67.8E, at a distance of about 240km east-southeast of Karachi".

It further stated that it is at a distance of 200km from Thatta and 410km from Ormara.

"The system is likely to strengthen further into a cyclonic storm during next 12-18 hours and move west-northwestwards," it added.

Geo.tv tried to contact Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah several times but remained unsuccessful.