Peshawar School Tragedy: Rs19 Million Relief Checks Distributed Among Bereaved Families

Staff Report 

PESHAWAR: In a move to support families devastated by the tragic school roof collapse in Peshawar, the district administration has distributed relief cheques worth Rs 19 million among the parents of children who lost their lives in the disaster.

Deputy Commissioner Peshawar visited the affected families, met grieving parents and spent time sharing their sorrow, assuring them that the administration would continue to support them during this difficult period.

The relief initiative was undertaken on the special instructions of the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the district administration prioritising financial assistance for the bereaved families following the tragedy that claimed dozens of precious lives and left scores of others injured.

Rs19 Million Distributed Among Bereaved Families

According to the district administration, cheques amounting to a total of Rs19 million have been distributed among the parents of the deceased children to provide immediate financial relief.

During his meetings with the affected families, the Deputy Commissioner expressed condolences over the loss of innocent lives and conveyed his solidarity with parents struggling to cope with the devastating loss of their children.

The administration said that the relief effort was being carried out in accordance with the Governor’s special directions to ensure that the affected families received timely assistance and were not left alone in their hour of grief.

“The families of children who lost their lives in the tragedy will receive financial assistance of Rs1 million each, while the injured will be given Rs300,000 each.” Governor announced.

Financial Assistance for Injured Children Within 24 Hours

The district administration has also initiated the process of compiling and verifying the final lists of children injured in the incident. According to the Deputy Commissioner, administrative teams are working on the ground to prepare the complete records of injured children and verify their particulars to ensure that financial assistance reaches the rightful beneficiaries.

He said that financial assistance would be provided to the injured children within one day after verification of their records. The administration is coordinating the verification process to ensure that no eligible injured child is excluded from the relief programme and that the assistance is delivered without unnecessary delays.

Peshawar School Roof Collapse Claims 35 Lives

The relief measures follow the devastating roof collapse at the privately run Al-Khair Education Centre in Peshawar on October 15, 2026, which sent shockwaves across the country.

According to reports published following the incident, 35 people, including 34 children and a female teacher, were killed, while over 45 others sustained injuries.

The tragedy occurred during school hours when children were attending classes. The collapse trapped students beneath the rubble, triggering an emergency rescue operation involving rescue personnel, police, hospital staff and local residents.

The school’s owner was arrested following the incident, while authorities initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse and possible construction-related negligence.

As families continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones, the incident has renewed calls for stronger school-building inspections, strict enforcement of safety regulations and accountability wherever negligence is established, to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

In June, more than a dozen children were killed when a roof collapsed at a tutoring center in the eastern city of Lahore. In 2025, 27 people were killed and 10 injured when a five-story building collapsed in the impoverished Lyari area of the southern city of Karachi.