Families of Peshawar School Collapse Victims Demand Justice

The families of the children killed in the Peshawar school collapse gathered outside the school on Friday. The grieving parents and relatives called for justice a day after the roof gave way and buried pupils and teachers under rubble.

Thirty-two students and a woman teacher died when the roof of Al Khair School System collapsed on Thursday morning. Most of the children were younger than 14.

Mourners gather outside the school

Dozens of people assembled outside the school in Peshawar’s Afridi Abad area on Friday to mourn the dead. Officials blamed the collapse on dilapidated infrastructure.

“The parents of all these children must receive justice,” said tailor Muhammad Wahab, who lost his 11-year-old nephew Hammad. He told AFP that Hammad had been “doing well in school” before the tragedy.

“I appeal to our rulers,” he added.

One grief-stricken father showed AFP a picture on his mobile phone of his young daughter, dressed in red and gold, who lost her life. Another parent, Asadullah, said he lost a son, a nephew and three other close relatives.

“The children were good students and often achieved top positions in their classes,” Asadullah said. “They happily went to school every day.”

A man named Sohail described the chaotic rescue. He said “everyone began screaming in panic” when his niece, who had escaped the building, arrived home with the news. He found 10 to 15 children trapped with debris piled up to their necks and pulled them out.

Timeline: the Peshawar school collapse case so far

Feature Pakistan has tracked the case since the first hours. The key developments:

• Thursday morning: the roof collapsed during classes at Al Khair School System in Dir Colony, Peshawar (first report).
• Thursday: the death toll reached 32 as the school owner was arrested and the rescue ended (details).
• The probe: investigators found the roof had been patched after earlier warnings (full story).
• Friday: police registered an FIR under Section 322 against the owners and the contractor (read more).
• Safety order: the K-P government ordered safety inspections of schools across the province (coverage).
• Compensation: the KP governor announced Rs1 million for each bereaved family (details).

Officials promise action within 15 days

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi told a press conference on Friday that those responsible for negligence would be held accountable. He promised legal action within 15 days.

“Until they are punished, schools will open in houses every day. We are also going to audit government and private schools,” Kundi said. Audit reports of all private schools will reach his office within four to five days, while officials have 15 days to submit reports on government schools.

“After the audit, if an incident happens, the auditor will be punished,” he asserted.

“On one hand, we are fighting a war against terrorism; on the other hand, those who play with the lives of children do not deserve any concession,” Kundi added.

The governor announced Rs1 million for each bereaved family and Rs300,000 for each injured person. He confirmed the school owner had been arrested and said action would follow against others involved.

The provincial chief secretary had already constituted a fact-finding committee on Thursday, with a report due within seven days.

Meanwhile, Samar Haroon Bilour, adviser to the KP governor on information and public relations, urged residents to share videos of schools in poor condition. An inspection team was dispatched to Mardan’s Gumbat village after officials received a video of a dilapidated school there.

“Since yesterday, many of my brothers and sisters from different areas in KP are sending me messages through WhatsApp, Facebook, X, showing schools in their areas,” Bilour said.

“I request all of you to stand with us in this difficult time. I request you to check schools in your area and share videos with us,” she added.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan called the collapse “not an accident but a preventable failure”. It recalled a similar incident in Lahore in June, which claimed the lives of 14 students.

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Peshawar school collapse?

Thirty-two students and a woman teacher died when the roof of Al Khair School System collapsed on Thursday morning. Most of the children were younger than 14.

Who is being held responsible?

The school owner has been arrested. An FIR has been registered under Section 322 against the owners and the contractor. The KP governor has promised legal action within 15 days.

What compensation has been announced?

The KP governor announced Rs1 million for each bereaved family and Rs300,000 for each injured person.

Are schools being inspected?

Yes. Audit reports of all private schools are due within four to five days, and officials have 15 days to submit reports on government schools. A fact-finding committee must also report within seven days.