KARACHI, Dec 14: The City Nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal, has declared a holiday for government and private educational institutions in the city on Dec 15. An order issued by the DCO, city government, issued to the press on Wednesday, said that the city nazim had announced a holiday for government and private educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities on Dec 15 on the eve of the third one-day international cricket match between Pakistan and England in the city.

In the meantime, a city government handout said the decision would be applicable to all schools, colleges and universities in the city.

In the meantime, the controller of examinations of two public sector universities – the University of Karachi and the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology – on Wednesday clarified that their exams would be held as per schedule on Thursday.

The Urdu varsity has also announced that it will not observe any holiday on Dec 15.

Talking to Dawn, Prof Sarosh H Lodi, Registrar of the NED University of Engineering and Technology said some practical or viva exams scheduled for Dec 15 had been deferred in the wake of the Sindh governor’s statement regarding a local holiday in Karachi on the day of cricket match.

He said that since students were on winter vacations, employees had been given the option of coming to the varsity or staying at home.