Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood has said that no examinations — including board exams and A and O level Cambridge exams — will take place in Pakistan before June 1.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister stated that the decision has been taken in order to give children ample time to prepare.

"It is is important to give children a predictable future. That is why we kept the matter of exams separate from the closure of educational institutes."

Mehmood added that he had spoken to the officials responsible for conducting the Cambridge exams and said: "They have said that they may consider shifting the exams to the November session. However, I have spoken to them and asked them to consider shifting the May session to June and July."

However, this decision will be taken by them, he said.