Peshawar mourns school roof collapse victims

UN team visits site as bereaved families seek answers

PESHAWAR:

Peshawar remained gripped by grief for the second consecutive day on Friday following the devastating roof collapse at a school in Dir Colony while political leaders, government officials and other prominent figures continued visiting the site and meeting bereaved families.

A United Nations delegation also visited the affected school to examine its infrastructure and assess the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. The team met relatives of the deceased children during its visit.

The secretary of the Private Schools Regulatory Authority briefed the UN delegation on the incident and provided details about the school and its infrastructure.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, Federal Minister Amir Muqam, advisers to various departments and other political leaders and government officials also visited the affected families to offer their condolences.

Although inquiry committees have been constituted to investigate the incident, the relevant departments had yet to visit the site to begin their investigations, according to the available information.

The tragedy has left several families devastated, with some losing more than one child in the collapse.

Zakirullah, a father who lost both his sons, Abu Bakr and Muhammad, said his three children, two boys and a girl, had been studying at the school since the beginning of their education.

He said his daughter informed him about the incident. When he reached the school, he found children buried beneath the debris, with rescue workers struggling to reach them.

"The scenes were unbearable, and everyone was distressed," he recalled.

His two sons, both second-grade students, were trapped under the rubble and could not initially be seen. Rescue workers shifted them to a hospital, where both children succumbed to their injuries.

Zakirullah, who serves as deputy khateeb at Peshawar Service Club and originally belongs to Dir, said the loss had left his family shattered.

Other families also recounted heartbreaking accounts of the incident. One child had reportedly been sent home to bring school fee money. By the time the child returned, the roof had collapsed.

According to accounts shared by children, the roof had been shaking when they moved around in the classroom. However, a teacher had reportedly reassured them that there was nothing to fear.

The incident also claimed the lives of three friends, Abdullah, Shayan and Muhammad, according to the account of one bereaved parent.

In another devastating loss, five children belonging to the family of Pir Muhammad also died in the collapse.

As the city continued to mourn the victims, families called for answers about the circumstances that led to the disaster. The planned investigations are expected to establish the cause of the collapse and determine whether any negligence or safety violations contributed to the tragedy.