Pakistan orders safety survey of all private schools after roof collapse at Al-Khair school kills 34 pupils and a teacher in Peshawar

A roof collapse at Al-Khair School in Dir Colony, Peshawar, killed 34 pupils — most aged 14 or under — and a teacher on Thursday, with around 300 students believed to be inside the three-storey building when the ceiling caved in. The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has ordered district committees to inspect every private school building and report within three days. Police have arrested the school's owner, Mohammad Khan, who told officers that recent rains had weakened the roof.

Families say they warned the school owner about leaks before the collapse, with at least one relative having raised concerns directly.

Inspections will classify buildings as safe, in need of repairs, or potentially unsafe, covering roofs, walls, foundations and staircases.

Rescuers pulled at least 40 children alive from the rubble after arriving within five minutes of the alert.