Peshawar School Roof Collapse Kills 35 People and Injures More Than 50 in Pakistan

On 15/10/2026, the roof of Al-Khair Education Centre, a private school in Peshawar's Dir Colony, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, collapsed during morning classes, killing at least 35 people, including 34 children and one teacher, and injuring more than 50 others. Most of the children affected were between six and 12 years old. The collapse occurred in a three-storey building when an upper-floor roof gave way, causing ceilings below to collapse onto occupied classrooms. Emergency responders and local residents worked to rescue students trapped beneath the debris. Nearly 100 rescue personnel participated in the operation, with injured children transported to Lady Reading Hospital, where an emergency was declared. Authorities arrested the school's owner after police identified structural weaknesses in the building. Recent rainfall was also examined as a possible contributing factor. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government established an investigation committee, while President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for accountability and stronger school-building safety measures. Historical Significance: The disaster prompted renewed scrutiny of construction standards and safety inspections at Pakistan's public and private schools.