Families mourn the children killed in the Peshawar school roof collapse as officials investigate the tragedy and promise accountability.
PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Families of children killed in a school roof collapse in Peshawar have demanded justice and accountability after the disaster claimed the lives of 34 students and a female teacher, according to reporting by AFP
The roof collapsed during morning classes on Thursday, October 15, leaving families searching desperately for their children as residents and rescue workers attempted to pull students from beneath the rubble.
Relatives gathered outside the school on Friday to mourn the victims and call on authorities to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
Families Seek Justice for Victims
Muhammad Wahab, a tailor whose 11-year-old nephew Hammad died in the incident, appealed to the authorities to provide justice to the bereaved families.
He told AFP that Hammad had been doing well at school before the tragedy.
Another grieving parent, identified as Asadullah, said he had lost his son, nephew and three other close relatives in the collapse.
Families described the children as enthusiastic students who regularly attended classes and often performed well academically.
The deaths have left relatives and residents demanding answers about how the building was allowed to operate as a school and whether earlier warnings about its condition were addressed.
School Owner Detained as Investigation Begins
A senior official in Peshawar told AFP that initial reports pointed to weak infrastructure as a possible cause of the collapse.
The official also confirmed that the school owner had been detained.
The police had registered a case against the school’s owners, shareholders and construction contractor. According to the first information report, the building was allegedly in a dilapidated condition and substandard construction materials had been used.
The FIR also alleges that complaints had previously been raised about deteriorating walls and roofs.
These allegations remain subject to investigation and should not be treated as final findings of criminal responsibility. Authorities will need to establish the building’s condition, the circumstances of the collapse and whether any individuals or institutions failed to meet their legal obligations.
Government Promises Accountability
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has pledged action against those found responsible for negligence.
Kundi said authorities would conduct audits of government and private school buildings across the province.
He said private-school building audit reports were expected within four to five days, while officials had been given 15 days to submit reports on government schools.
The governor also announced compensation of Rs1 million for each bereaved family and Rs300,000 for each injured person.
The promised inspections are intended to identify unsafe school buildings and reduce the risk of similar incidents. Their effectiveness will depend on the findings, enforcement measures and action taken against facilities that fail safety requirements.
Calls for Stronger School Safety Standards
The Peshawar tragedy has renewed concerns about the structural safety of educational buildings and the enforcement of construction standards in Pakistan.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan described the incident as a preventable failure, according to Dawn, and recalled a similar roof collapse at a tutoring centre in Lahore in June that killed 14 students.
The repeated loss of young lives in building collapses has intensified calls for inspections, stronger oversight and accountability where negligence is established.
For families who lost children in Peshawar, however, the immediate priority remains justice and a clear explanation of how the disaster occurred.
