The British Council has cancelled all examinations scheduled for May 11 (Thursday) in Pakistan amid ongoing violent protests sparked following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

Due to the developing situation in the country, the British Council said in a statement on Wednesday that cancelled all Cambridge International including O-level and A-level examinations, Pearson, University of London, ACCA and IELTS exams scheduled across Pakistan.

According to Khuuram Shah, the accounts relationship manager of the British Council, all papers scheduled to be held in the morning and evening scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) have been cancelled across the country.

Arslan Siddiqui, the spokesperson for Cambridge International Assessment, said cancelled papers are not taken again as it is standard practice across the world.

He said an examination paper consisted of two parts and marks for the cancelled papers are given on the basis of the first paper and other performance of the students.

Cambridge International’s Country Director for Pakistan Uzma Yusuf said the exams had been cancelled as their first priority is the safety of the students and teachers.

A day earlier. the British Council has also cancelled all the papers scheduled on May 10 (today) due to uncertainty in the country following former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest.

According to a statement issued after private schools announced to close educational institutions, the British Council said that exams which were to be held tomorrow (Wednesday) in both morning and evening shifts have been cancelled.

Imran Khan’s arrest

A day earlier, Rangers personnel arrested Imran Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) — acting on National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) warrant.

Following his arrest, the PTI urged supporters all across Pakistan to protest and “block all roads, close all shops”.

Subsequently, PTI workers held protests in several cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, and Mardan.

In Karachi, demonstrators clashed with the police near Nursery. They threw stones at and set fire to police vehicles, tore down street lights, and damaged a bus. There were reports that police fired teargas shells at the protesters.

Protesters also caused damage to public property in other cities, including Rawalpindi and Lahore.