Peshawar School Collapse: FIR Says Children Warned Owners
PESHAWAR, October 16, 2026: An FIR registered over the deadly collapse of a private school building in Peshawar has revealed that students had repeatedly warned the school owners about deteriorating walls and roofs, but their complaints allegedly went unaddressed.
The tragic incident occurred in the Saeedabad locality of Dir Colony, within the jurisdiction of Yakatoot Police Station, claiming the lives of 32 children and two female teachers, according to the report. Around 54 children were injured.
According to the FIR, approximately 110 children were present at Al-Khair Education System when the building collapsed. The ceilings of classrooms on the second floor, where nursery students were studying, and on the ground floor, where Class Two students were present, reportedly gave way.
School Owners, Shareholders and Contractor Named in FIR
The case has been registered against the building owner, co-owners and the contractor responsible for constructing the school building.
The FIR states that the 16-marla plot was leased in 2024 by Mufti Khan Muhammad and other shareholders, including Riaz, Moez-ur-Rehman and Maulana Ameer Habib. The construction work was reportedly carried out by a contractor identified as Shah Zaman.
Investigators allege that substandard construction materials were used in the building, which was subsequently converted into a school attended by young children from the surrounding neighbourhood.
The FIR further states that students had complained several times to the owner and shareholders that the school’s walls and ceilings had deteriorated and could collapse. However, their concerns allegedly failed to receive an adequate response.
Inquiry Committee Formed
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education Department has formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident, determine the causes of the collapse and recommend measures to prevent similar tragedies.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi has also announced compensation of Rs1 million for the family of each deceased victim and Rs200,000 for each injured person.
In addition, the provincial education department has ordered district-level inquiry committees to inspect private school buildings across the province and assess their structural condition and safety arrangements.
The inspections will cover roofs, walls, foundations and other structural components. The committees are expected to identify hazardous buildings and recommend necessary repairs and strengthening measures.
Previous School Building Collapses Raise Safety Concerns
The Peshawar tragedy follows several similar incidents reported across Pakistan this year.
On June 30, a tuition centre roof collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area, killing 14 children. On July 2, part of an under-construction school building collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area, resulting in the death of an eight-year-old boy.
Earlier, a shed at an under-construction government girls’ high school collapsed in Sialkot on February 21, killing a student, while a classroom roof collapse at a private school in Dera Ghazi Khan on May 7 claimed the lives of four students.
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns about construction standards, building inspections and the enforcement of safety regulations at educational institutions. The ongoing inquiry is expected to establish responsibility and identify measures needed to protect students from preventable structural hazards.