KARACHI, Sept 24: The government and private schools may avail an optional holiday on Thursday (27th of Rajab) on account of Shab-i-Mairaj, said EDO Schools of the city government.

Though some of the private schools have already decided to remain closed on Thursday, a good number of students and teachers kept calling newspapers till late Wednesday night to know about the holiday on Sept 25.

When contacted the Executive District Officer (Schools), Anwar Ahmad Zai, told Dawn that there had been precedence of observing 27th of Rajab as holiday by teachers, other employees and students of schools.

As per previous practices, he said, the observance of any holiday on Rajab 27 was entirely an optional matter and in this regard none of the private or government schools would be questioned for keeping their respective campuses either closed or opened.

In the meantime, the spokesman for the University of Karachi mentioned that the university and its affiliated institutions including colleges would remain opened on Sept 25.