Pakistan School Tragedy: 35 Killed, Over 50 Injured, Owner Arrested as Safety Checks Face Scrutiny

At least 35 people were reported killed and more than 50 injured after a school roof collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Thursday, turning classrooms into a deadly trap for children and triggering serious questions over building safety and inspection procedures.

The tragedy occurred at Al-Khair School in the Dir Colony area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Rescue teams rushed to the site and searched through the rubble for children and school staff who might have been trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Earlier reports from Lady Reading Hospital said 28 students, including six girls, and a female teacher had died, with the children aged 13 or younger. Subsequent reports put the death toll higher, highlighting the evolving scale of the disaster.

Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Mian Saeed Ahmed confirmed that the school's owner had been arrested. Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir ordered an investigation into the collapse, while emergency services worked to rescue the injured and clear the debris. The precise cause of the collapse remains subject to investigation.

Reports have raised concerns about the building's structural condition and the safety checks conducted before the school began operating. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority chief, Javed Iqbal, reportedly said the school had been registered in March 2026, but technical personnel had not been present during its inspection.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the deaths, offered condolences to the bereaved families and directed authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also mourned the victims and called for a detailed report and safety checks at educational institutions across the province.