ISLAMABAD: The birthday celebrations of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, coupled with Christmas, always provides a joyful public holiday to the citizens, particularly students.

However, because of the tragic incident at the Army Public School Peshawar on December 16, the nation is still in shock.

Fearing more terrorist attacks, the government closed all educational institutions throughout the country for about two weeks.

As a result, students of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad also could not celebrate the Quaid`s birthday in their institutions.

Though the government schools and colleges in Rawalpindi usually observed winter holidays during the last week of December, universities and most of the private schools held functions either before or after December 25 in connection with the Quaid`s birthday.

`It has been routine for most of our schools to organise functions from December 20 to December 26 to pay homage to the Quaid but this year all our institutions were closed about a week ago,` said Abrar Ahmed, a representative of the Rawalpindi-based private schools association.

`Keeping our tradition alive, today we organised a function in our school, which was attended only by teachers. We missed our students on the occasion,` said Javed Intizar, a private schoolteacher.

`This year, we were unable to tell our students about the life of the founder of the nation and his vision. This is unfortunate,` Mr Javed said. He, however, added that after the reopening of the schools a function would be organised in this connection.

Prof Dr Samina Amin Qadir, the vice chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), said a function was slated to be held at the university on December 28 to celebrate the Quaid`s birthday and the annual day of the FJWU.

However, due to the closure of the university, both the functions have been postponed.

`I am saddened over the overall security issues in the country but we have to stand united against extremism,` she said.

Tahir Bhatti, a spokesman for the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), said upon the reopening of schools and colleges functions in connection with the Quaid`s birthday would be organised.