STORY BY: IRENE KABUKIE KWAO —

At least 34 people have been killed after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, with most of the victims believed to be children under the age of 13.

The incident occurred at Al-Khair School in the Dir Colony neighbourhood, where emergency services received a distress call at 8:48 a.m. local time.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene and searched through the rubble for survivors. A local teacher said he helped pull six children from the debris as emergency workers continued efforts to reach those trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Police have warned that the building remains extremely dangerous, citing the risk of further collapse. The school owner has been arrested as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The tragedy has renewed concerns about building safety and regulatory enforcement in Pakistan’s private education sector.

An expert told the BBC that inspections of teaching standards and building safety were weak and rarely enforced, despite the large number of students attending private schools across the country.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed sympathy for the bereaved families and promised a thorough investigation into the disaster.

He said no parent should have to endure such pain, as authorities work to establish what caused the roof to collapse.

Investigators are expected to examine whether structural weaknesses, negligence or breaches of building safety regulations contributed to the incident.

The disaster has also highlighted concerns about the safety of school buildings and the need for effective inspections to protect students and staff.

Authorities have yet to establish the definitive cause of the collapse as investigations continue.