PESHAWAR: Police and administrative authorities have taken action following the tragic collapse of a private school roof in the Dir Colony area of Peshawar, the provincial capital. The incident has claimed 31 lives, including those of 30 children and a female teacher, while more than 40 injured people remain under treatment at hospitals. Some of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.
School Owner Arrested; Police Cite Structural Concerns
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar Mian Saeed confirmed during a media briefing that the owner of the private school had been taken into custody following the incident.
According to the CCPO, preliminary investigations indicate that the building was structurally weak and potentially unsafe. He said that accommodating children in a building located in a narrow street despite safety concerns amounted to serious negligence.
Mian Saeed said that all those found responsible for the tragedy would be held accountable and that legal action would be taken in accordance with the law.
Police officials said the arrested suspect had been operating the school under an educational trust.
School Owner’s Version of Events
School owner Khan Muhammad, who has been arrested in connection with the incident, has claimed that the building was relatively new and had been constructed approximately a year and a half ago. He maintained that construction standards had been observed during the building work.
According to Khan Muhammad, 30 students were present in the classroom beneath the roof that collapsed at the time of the incident.
He further stated that approximately 350 children were enrolled at the school, where 11 male and 16 female teachers were employed.
Investigation Underway
Following the completion of the rescue operation, an inquiry committee has begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the collapse to establish its cause and determine whether any negligence was involved.
The findings are expected to help establish accountability and identify measures needed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
