PESHAWAR: The private school whose roof collapsed in Dir Colony was registered in March 2026, Managing Director of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority (KP-PSRA) Javed Iqbal said on Thursday.
Roof collapse in Peshawar’s Dir Colony killed at least 30 children and two female teachers, while several others remain in critical condition.
Speaking about the ongoing investigation, Iqbal said officials had learned that technical personnel were not present during the school’s inspection.
He stressed that the presence of technical officials during inspection visits was essential, explaining that authorities assessed the number of classrooms, the building’s foundations and its overall structural condition.
Iqbal said that when a school was registered, its classrooms and other relevant facilities were examined, while construction experts were expected to inspect the building and submit a report.
He added that the authority did not have the power to shut down an unregistered school under the applicable arrangements.
Expressing concern over the tragedy, Iqbal said such incidents should not occur and those responsible for negligence would not be spared.
However, he emphasised that the actual responsibility for the incident would be established only after the inquiry was completed.
Meanwhile, the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar confirmed the school owner’s arrest, stating that the institution had been operating under the name of an educational trust.
According to the CCPO, the school building had been poorly constructed, which contributed to the tragedy.
Meanwhile, rescue operations are facing difficulties because of the building’s weakened structure and the narrow streets surrounding the site.
A Rescue service spokesperson said heavy machinery was not being used because the building remained structurally unstable. The narrow streets have also made it difficult to bring heavy equipment close to the damaged structure.