Peshawar school owner arrested as probe finds roof was patched after warnings before collapse
Police have arrested the owner of a private school in Peshawar after a preliminary inquiry found that the roof which collapsed on Thursday, killing 35 children and two female teachers, had been temporarily patched despite clear warnings about its condition. The Peshawar school collapse has now become a criminal investigation, with the provincial governor announcing compensation for the victims’ families and a four-day deadline to fix responsibility.
The tragedy struck the privately run Al-Khair School System in Dir Colony, a densely populated low-income neighbourhood of Peshawar. According to police and rescue officials, the roof of an upper floor gave way during morning classes and crashed through the classrooms below, bringing down two storeys of the building.
Around 110 students were attending classes in three classrooms when the collapse happened at 8:48am local time. Rescue workers spent four to five hours pulling children from the rubble. More than 50 people were injured, and over 40 injured students and teachers were taken to the Lady Reading Hospital.
Peshawar school collapse toll: 35 children and two teachers
The dead were aged between six and 13, and most came from low-income families. The fatalities included 12 girl students and a female teacher, hospital spokesperson Mohammad Asim said. Three children remained in critical condition with head injuries, while most of those taken to hospital had been treated and discharged.
Rescue 1122 said its teams, ambulances and disaster response vehicles reached the site quickly and launched relief operations. Arif Khattak, regional director of the rescue department, said eight injured children were first given first aid and taken to hospital before the wider search continued.
Distraught relatives gathered at the site accused the school administration of ignoring warnings about the building. “Make an example of them, a lesson for all, so that no one dares open a school just to make money without providing facilities,” said Mohammad Zaman, who lost two nephews in the collapse.
Owner arrested after probe points to negligence
Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed confirmed the arrest of the school’s owner, Khan Muhammad, and said an investigation had been launched. “It was a weak building structure,” Saeed said. “Its roof was overloaded with construction on a weak structure, which caused the collapse.”
A preliminary investigation report prepared by Rescue 1122 and the district administration points to serious alleged negligence. According to the report, the roof of the upper floor had deteriorated after rainfall, and students had alerted the school owner to its poor condition. Instead of carrying out proper repairs or ensuring the building was safe, the administration allegedly reinforced the roof temporarily and called the students back to school. The roof subsequently collapsed.
The report, which has been sent to the provincial government, examines the causes of the collapse, the building’s structure, the deteriorated roof and the alleged negligence of the school administration.
The findings land a day after Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ordered safety inspections of all government schools in the wake of the tragedy, a move that now looks like only the first step in a much wider reckoning over school buildings.
Governor announces Rs1m compensation per victim
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi announced compensation of Rs1 million for the family of each person killed and Rs200,000 for each injured person. He said the investigation would be completed within four days and those responsible would be identified and punished, regardless of the department they belonged to.
Kundi said the inquiry would examine the responsibility of everyone involved, from the school owner to the relevant government departments.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the tragedy and offered condolences to the victims’ families, his office said.
Frequently asked questions
How many people died in the Peshawar school collapse?
Thirty-five children and two female teachers were killed when the roof of the Al-Khair School System in Dir Colony collapsed on Thursday morning. More than 50 people were injured.
Why was the school owner arrested?
Police arrested owner Khan Muhammad after a preliminary Rescue 1122 and district administration report found the roof had deteriorated after rainfall, students had warned about it, and the administration allegedly carried out only temporary reinforcement before calling students back.
What compensation has been announced?
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi announced Rs1 million for each family of the deceased and Rs200,000 for each injured person, and ordered the investigation completed within four days.
What happens next?
The preliminary report has been sent to the provincial government. K-P has ordered safety inspections of all government schools, and the governor has promised action against everyone found responsible, from the owner to government departments.
