Owner arrested after Peshawar school roof collapse kills 35

UPDATE - follow-up to 17 children, teacher killed, over 40 injured as school roof collapses in Pakistan's Peshawar: Police have arrested the owner of the private school in Peshawar where a roof collapse killed 34 children and a teacher on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Investigation and Arrest

Peshawar Capital City Police chief Mian Saeed stated that thirty students were inside the classrooms on the upper floor of the Al-Khair School in Dir Colony when the disaster struck. The arrested owner ran the school as an education trust, and officials found that the three-storey building had a poorly constructed roof. Narrow streets in the congested inner city area slowed down rescue work, prompting authorities to investigate building rule violations.

Hospital and Relief Efforts

Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim confirmed that 32 children and one teacher arrived dead, while two more bodies went to Naseerullah Khan Babar Memorial Hospital. An emergency was declared at the medical facility where 20 injured children under age 13 received treatment, with three critical patients admitted for head injuries. Pakistan Army personnel joined local rescue teams, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed set up a green corridor for ambulances.

Official Inquiries and Reactions

Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir confirmed that all trapped individuals were rescued and ordered an official probe. Provincial Education Secretary Inayatullah Waseem asked the Private Schools Regulatory Authority for a report by Friday, October 16, 2026. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, KPK Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari offered their condolences to the families.

Context

Building collapses happen frequently across Pakistan due to weak safety checks and cheap construction materials. Authorities typically inspect private school structures and building regulations only after major tragedies draw public attention to poor urban infrastructure.