Pakistan's authorities have ordered inspections of schools across the region after a classroom roof collapse killed at least 34 students and one teacher. The incident occurred on Thursday at Al-Khair school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in the country's north.
According to reports on Friday, the government directed provincial authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to carry out the review following the deadly collapse. At least 34 students aged 13 or under, along with one teacher, died when the school roof caved in.
There are conflicting accounts over whether the inspection will cover both public and private schools or be limited to private institutions. According to the AP news agency, the provincial education department has been asked to submit its findings within three days.
Schools will be classified as safe, in need of repair or renovation, or structurally unsafe. Multiple structural elements will be assessed, including roofs, ceilings, walls and staircases.
Police arrested Mohammad Khan, the owner of Al-Khair school, shortly after the mud-and-brick roof collapsed. According to Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed, the building had a weak structure, and Khan told police that recent rains had weakened it.
Families of the victims are demanding justice. Some relatives said they had repeatedly warned Khan about rainwater seeping into the classrooms. On Friday, dozens of people gathered outside the school to mourn the dead.
Construction standards in Pakistan have long been regarded as poor, and contractors often use substandard materials. In June, the roof of a private tutoring centre in the eastern city of Lahore also collapsed, killing 14 people.
