Pak: FIR names owners, shareholders, contractor after school collapse kills 35 in Peshawar

Peshawar police registered a case on Friday against the owners, shareholders, and contractor of a private school where a roof collapse killed 35 people and injured 52 others. The tragedy occurred on Thursday at Al-Khair Education System in Peshawar's Dir Colony. The First Information Report (FIR) names the school's owners, shareholders, and the construction contractor, claiming substandard materials were used and earlier complaints were ignored about the building's deteriorating condition.

School owner Waheed and Javed leased the 16 marlas of land in 2024 before construction began. Police arrested the owner on Thursday, and authorities are seeking to arrest the other suspects. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary formed a two-member inquiry committee, headed by the Provincial Transport Secretary and including Chief Engineer Jamshed Ali Khan, to investigate the collapse within seven days.

They will examine the building's structural integrity, construction quality, safety arrangements, and potential negligence, recommending legal and administrative action. The provincial government also announced compensation of PKR 10 lakh for each deceased victim and ₹2 lakh for each injured student. Roof and building collapses are common in Pakistan due to poor safety standards and substandard materials.

Previous incidents include three girls killed in a government primary school in Sindh in July, a child killed and five injured in Lahore when a private school roof collapsed in July, and 14 children killed and 20 injured in Lahore when a private tuition centre roof collapsed in June.