Rawalpindi ordered to shut down all public venues

The Pakistani government has issued a sweeping order for the city of Rawalpindi, directing all public venues to close from midnight on April 18, 2026, until further notice. The shutdown mandate has now extended to educational institutions, with Agriculture University Rawalpindi ordering all hostel students to vacate immediately and announcing a closure until April 26. The rapid, cascading closures suggest a significant security or public order emergency in the garrison city. No official reason for the unprecedented measures has been provided.