Schools' safety audit ordered

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday ordered an immediate safety audit of all school buildings located in densely populated areas across the province.

The order was issued after a roof collapse at a summer camp operating in a private school in Baghbanpura.

An eight-year-old boy was killed and four others injured when a portion of the under-construction building collapsed.

According to Rescue 1122, the incident occurred near the Women College Road during construction work on the top floor of the three-storey building. The structure suddenly gave way, causing debris to fall onto the ground floor and the adjoining street.

Rescuers retrieved the body of eight-year-old Abdullah, son of Amjad Butt, from beneath the debris and handed it over to his family after completion of legal formalities.

The search and rescue operation launched after receiving an emergency call involved seven vehicles along with 25 rescuers.

Four injured men Nadeem, 35, Shakeel, 38, Faiz Ahmad, 32, and Wasim, 42, were pulled from the rubble, provided first aid and shifted to a hospital.

Officials said the search continued for some time amid reports that another person might have been trapped under the rubble.

Expressing grief over the death of the child in the incident and extending condolences to the bereaved family, the chief minister sought a report on the matter from the Lahore commissioner and director general of Rescue 1122.

She commended Rescue 1122 for rescuing more than 10 children from the debris.

The chief minister ordered that the injured children and other persons be provided the best available treatment without delay.

She also ordered strict legal action against those responsible for negligence or substandard construction and an immediate safety audit of all school buildings located in densely populated areas.

The provincial rescue service stated that rain and storms during the last 24 hours had claimed two lives and injured nine people in incidents of collapsed walls, roofs and billboards in Attock, Khushab, Sargodha and Sheikhupura.

Kahna victims

Two days after the roof collapse at a tuition centre in Kahna claimed the lives of 14 children, two young sisters who survived the incident were struggling to overcome the trauma of witnessing the disaster that took away their cousins and classmates within moments.

Almas Fatima, an 11-year-old fifth-grade student, and her nine-year-old sister Anfal of grade three were among the children injured when the roof collapsed. They were among five children from a family who had gone to attend tuition class. While the two survived, their cousins Dua Fatima and Ghulam Nabi were among those killed.

Recalling the moments before the collapse, Almas said the children were attending class when a brick suddenly fell from the ceiling. According to her, the teacher reassured the students. Seconds later, however, the entire roof gave way, burying the children under rubble amid clouds of dust and cries for help.