At least 33 pupils and a female teacher have been killed after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, on Thursday.
Several other pupils were injured in the incident at Al-Khair School in the city’s Dir Colony area, with some reported to be in critical condition, according to reports by Pakistani media and international news agencies.
The victims were mostly children aged between seven and 14, while rescue workers and emergency personnel rushed to the scene to search for survivors trapped beneath the rubble.
According to Reuters, hospital officials confirmed that 34 people, comprising 33 children and a teacher, had died in the incident, while dozens of others sustained injuries.
The collapse occurred during school hours, trapping pupils and teachers beneath the debris. Emergency responders worked to remove the rubble and transport victims to nearby medical facilities.
Lady Reading Hospital, one of the facilities receiving casualties, declared an emergency to provide treatment for the injured.
Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed reportedly attributed the collapse to the building’s weak structure and excessive weight from additional construction.
“It was a weak building structure,” he said, according to The National, which reported that construction on the roof had contributed to the collapse.
Authorities subsequently ordered an investigation into the incident, while police arrested the school’s owner as inquiries continued into possible negligence and violations of building safety regulations.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed grief over the deaths and called for a thorough investigation.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also conveyed the government’s condolences to the bereaved families, stressing the need to protect children in educational institutions.
“Our children are our most precious asset, and every such loss is a tragedy for the entire country,” Dar said in a statement.
The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, also expressed sadness over the tragedy and called for stricter enforcement of safety standards in schools across the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, Pernille Ironside, urged authorities to ensure that both public and private schools complied with building regulations and underwent regular safety inspections.
“Going to school should never put a child’s life at risk,” the organisation said.
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of school buildings in Pakistan, where structural collapses have previously killed and injured pupils.
In June, at least 14 children died after the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in Lahore. Another incident in May killed four children and injured several others when a classroom roof collapsed at a private school in Dera Ghazi Khan.
The latest tragedy has intensified calls for stronger monitoring of school infrastructure, particularly privately operated institutions, to prevent further loss of lives.
