PESHAWAR: Police have registered a case against the owners, shareholders and construction contractor of a school in Peshawar’s Dir Colony after a roof collapse killed 30 children and a female teacher, according to the first information report (FIR).
The case was registered at Agha Mir Jani Shah police station on behalf of the state under Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which deals with *qatl-bis-sabab* (death caused without an intention to kill).
Police said efforts were under way to arrest the suspects named in the FIR.
FIR cites earlier complaints about building
The FIR alleges that substandard construction materials were used in the school building, which was in a dilapidated condition and unsuitable for use as a school.
It also states that complaints had previously been made about deteriorating walls and roofs, but the school management allegedly failed to address the concerns.
According to the FIR, the roofs of a nursery classroom on the second floor and rooms on the ground floor collapsed, causing multiple casualties.
The report states that 52 people were injured in the incident. Rescue workers spent hours pulling children and other victims from the rubble as distraught parents gathered outside the school seeking information about their loved ones.
The FIR further alleges that children had raised concerns about the building’s condition, but the school owners failed to respond to their complaints.
School ownership and construction under scrutiny
The FIR states that the school stood on a 16-marla plot owned by Waheed and Javed. The land was reportedly acquired on lease in 2024, after which the school building was constructed.
The school’s owners, shareholders and construction contractor have been named in the case. Police said efforts were under way to arrest the suspects.
School owner arrested
The collapse prompted widespread grief, with families demanding accountability for the deaths of the children and the teacher.
Following the incident, police and rescue officials said the roof had collapsed while classes were under way on Thursday. Officials also raised concerns about the quality of the construction materials and the building’s structural integrity.
In an earlier media talk, school owner Khan Muhammad reportedly attributed the collapse to several days of rainfall.
A police investigation officer said the school owner had been arrested over the alleged use of substandard construction materials. Relatives of the victims, meanwhile, called for a thorough investigation into the tragic incident.
