LAHORE: In response to India’s brazen pre-dawn attack, the Punjab government has mobilised all departments, directing them to maintain maximum preparedness in accordance with the ‘War Book’ protocols.

Rescue services have been put on high alert and a central control room established to ensure seamless monitoring and coordination.

While the armed forces ferociously responded to the attack, the Punjab government swiftly took measures to ensure public safety, announcing the immediate closure of public and private sector universities, colleges, and schools, as well as the suspension of ongoing examinations at various academic levels.

As 26 civilians have been martyred and 46 sustained injuries in Indian missile attacks, the Punjab government cancelled staff holidays and called all law-enforcement agencies officials to handle any eventuality.

Despite high alert, educational institutes allowed to function normally; social media flooded with memes after damages to India

In line with the `War Book’ protocols, the Punjab government activated the siren and warning system and instructed the security forces to immediately secure the vital and sensitive areas across the province. It also called for identification of shelters and making them functional for civil defence. Keeping all and sundry on high alert, the Punjab government instructed the civil administration in respective districts to ensure foolproof security measures as “further hostile attacks in near future particularly targeting vital and sensitive areas cannot be ruled out.”

Meanwhile, people kept their morale high and came out on roads and intersections in several cities as well as the points of attacks in five cities and chanted slogans in support of the armed forces.

Weighing the situation after India accepted its defeat while hoisting a white flag, the Punjab government did not extend holidays in public and private educational institutions and allowed them to resume their academic and examination activities as per their notified schedules.

The examinations postponed on Wednesday will be rescheduled after completing the notified date-sheets by respective education boards and universities. Though institutions were closed, the bazaars opened and the public did shopping unhindered.

The Punjab government is, however, still on high alert. Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman on Wednesday morning held a high-level video-conference meeting with administrative secretaries from all provincial departments, including the chairman of Planning and Development Board.

The chief secretary directed all provincial departments, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and police formations to maintain full readiness in accordance with the protocols outlined in the ‘War Book’.

The chief secretary was briefed about the `War Book’ protocols by the home department as he along with the IG Police and additional chief secretary visited the central control room linked with control rooms at each deputy commissioner office in respective districts in the province.

The chief secretary stressed the need to formally document all [preparedness] measures for the development of comprehensive guidelines. He instructed that control rooms in the departments of Home and the Implementation and Coordination would remain operational round-the-clock. The departments were advised to coordinate closely with the home department for any necessary support.Home Department Special Secretary Fazalur Rehman briefed the provincial top brass on the implementation of `War Book’ protocols. He stated that robust security arrangements had been put in place to safeguard critical infrastructure and ensure public safety across the province.

Briefing the meeting on ongoing security measures, IG Dr Usman Anwar asserted that the Punjab Police were on high alert and personnel had been deployed at all key locations, including border outposts to maintain heightened vigilance.

As the war had apparently subsided in a matter of hours, the public continued chanting slogans in streets and took to X handles and other social media platforms to express their humour and ran trends like ‘Sindoor bun gaya Tandoor’ and created scores of memes to enjoy the victory.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2025