PESHAWAR: At least 35 people, including 34 students and a teacher, have been killed and more than 40 injured after the roof of a three-storey school building collapsed in Peshawar’s Dir Colony, officials said.
Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) spokesperson Muhammad Asim told reporters that the death toll had risen to 35, revising an earlier figure of 29. The students who died were aged between seven and 14.
Police said the owner of the school building had been taken into custody. Officials said rain had weakened the structure, while questions remained over the quality of its construction.
According to officials, the school building had been damaged by rain.
Rescue Operation Ends
Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir told reporters that the rescue operation had concluded, with teams clearing the debris and confirming that no more injured children remained at the site.
“Rescue teams have cleared all the debris, and no more injured children are at the scene,” he said.
Peshawar’s main Lady Reading Hospital’s official list records 33 deaths among 53 patients in the school tragedy.
The list records 36 males and 12 females; 17 patients were discharged after observation, while three remain under observation. #PeshawarTragedy #Peshawar #Pakistan https://t.co/155NCHbTTH
— Sajjad Tarakzai (@SajjadTarakzai) October 15, 2026
An emergency had been declared at Lady Reading Hospital following the incident, as medical teams treated the injured.
According to a statement from the deputy commissioner’s office, students were in their classrooms when the roof collapsed.
A rescue official told reporters that the ceiling came down on the students after the roof of an upper floor collapsed, bringing down the two storeys beneath it.
Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed Ahmed said the building’s structure was weak.
“Its roof was overweight with construction on a weak structure that caused the collapse,” he said.
Hospital Casualties
Lady Reading Hospital issued an official list of patients treated following the incident. The list recorded 53 patients, including 33 deaths, while 17 patients were discharged after observation and three remained under observation.
The hospital spokesperson later told reporters that the death toll had risen to 35, including 34 students and one teacher.
Rescue 1122 said children had received first aid and been taken to hospitals.
Governor Orders Inquiry
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and called for a detailed report on the incident.
“The loss of precious lives of innocent children is an extremely painful tragedy,” he said, offering condolences to the bereaved families.
گورنر خیبر پختونخوا فیصل کریم کنڈی کا پشاور کے علاقے دیر کالونی میں اسکول کی چھت گرنے سے بچوں کے جاں بحق اور زخمی ہونے پر اظہارِ افسوس
گورنر خیبر پختونخوا فیصل کریم کنڈی نے پشاور کے علاقے دیر کالونی میں اسکول کی چھت گرنے کے افسوسناک واقعے میں معصوم بچوں کے جاں بحق ہونے پر گہرے دکھ اور افسوس کا اظہار کیا ہے۔
گورنر فیصل کریم کنڈی نے مشیرِ تعلیم کو واقعے کی تفصیلی رپورٹ پیش کرنے کی ہدایت کرتے ہوئے متعلقہ حکام کو زخمی بچوں کو بہترین طبی سہولیات فراہم کرنے کی ہدایت کی ہے۔ انہوں نے صوبے بھر کے تمام تعلیمی اداروں کی عمارتوں کا حفاظتی معائنہ کرنے کے لیے جامع سروے کرانے کی بھی ہدایت کی، تاکہ ممکنہ خطرات کی نشاندہی کرکے بروقت اور فوری اصلاحی اقدامات یقینی بنائے جا سکیں۔
گورنر خیبر پختونخوا نے کہا کہ بچوں کی حفاظت پر کسی قسم کا سمجھوتہ نہیں کیا جا سکتا۔ بچوں کی زندگیاں اور ان کی سلامتی ہمیشہ اولین ترجیح ہونی چاہیے۔
گورنر فیصل کریم کنڈی نے جاں بحق بچوں کے لواحقین سے دلی تعزیت اور ہمدردی کا اظہار کرتے ہوئے زخمی بچوں کی جلد صحت یابی کے لیے دعا بھی کی۔— Office of Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (@Governor_KP) October 15, 2026
He prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured children and directed the relevant authorities to provide them with the best possible medical care.
The governor also ordered a structural safety audit of educational institutions across the province to identify potential risks and ensure that corrective measures were taken wherever necessary.
“We cannot allow the safety of our children to be compromised,” Kundi wrote in a statement on X.
The tragedy has renewed concerns about the structural safety of school buildings and the enforcement of construction standards. Authorities are expected to investigate the causes of the collapse and assess what measures are needed to prevent similar incidents.
President Zardari Expresses Grief
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and injuries of children and teachers in the school roof collapse in Peshawar.
He said the tragic incident had plunged the entire nation into grief and offered condolences to the bereaved families, praying for strength and patience for them to bear the loss.
The president also prayed for the speedy and complete recovery of those injured and directed the relevant authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment and provide all possible assistance to affected families.
He called for a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of the incident and measures to prevent similar tragedies in educational institutions.
PM Shehbaz Offers Condolences
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the Peshawar school roof collapse.
He prayed for the elevation of the ranks of those who died, including children, and extended condolences to their families, asking Allah to grant them patience and strength.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar expressed deep grief over the Peshawar school roof collapse, offered condolences to the bereaved families and called for urgent assistance, the best possible medical care for the injured and stronger school safety standards to prevent such tragedies.
The collapse of a school roof in Peshawar, resulting in the tragic loss of 17 precious lives, has deeply pained the entire nation.
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ۔
Our children are our most precious asset, and every such loss is a tragedy for the entire country.
My heartfelt condolences and prayers are with the bereaved families. May Allah Almighty grant the departed the highest place in Jannah and bless their families with صبرِ جمیل and the strength to bear this irreparable loss. آمین۔
The Prime Minister @CMShehbaz and the Government have taken serious note of the situation. Ensuring the safety and protection of our children must remain paramount. All necessary measures must be taken to provide immediate assistance to those affected, ensure the best possible medical care for the injured, and strengthen safety standards in our schools to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) October 15, 2026
The prime minister also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and directed the authorities to ensure they received all possible medical assistance. He further ordered that rescue operations be expedited.
Roof and building collapses are a recurring problem in Pakistan, often linked to poor safety standards, substandard construction materials and inadequate oversight.
Substandard construction
A Rescue 1122 official told the media that the school building had been weakened by rain.
In July, three girls aged between three and 13 were killed when part of a government primary school’s boundary wall collapsed near Umerkot in Sindh. The same month, a child died, and at least five people were injured when the roof of an under-construction private school collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area.
In June, 14 children were killed when the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area. The incident occurred less than two months after four children died and 20 people were injured in the collapse of a classroom roof at a private school in Dera Ghazi Khan.
An investigation into the latter incident found that construction work on an extension to the building was under way when the classroom roof collapsed.
Other incidents have also highlighted the risks posed by unsafe buildings and extreme weather. Last week, two men died when the roof of their house collapsed during heavy rain and a windstorm in Pakpattan.
