LAHORE — At least 14 children were killed after the roof of a private tutoring center collapsed in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, authorities said, prompting an investigation into possible negligence and renewed scrutiny of building safety standards.
Punjab's emergency service said rescuers recovered the bodies of the children, aged between 5 and 16, along with a 30-year-old female teacher from beneath the rubble after the roof of the after-school facility gave way on Tuesday. Most of the children who died were younger than 9, according to rescue officials. Eight other children were injured and taken to hospital for treatment, police said.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said preliminary findings indicated the tutoring center had been operating without registration inside a privately owned residential building with a deteriorating roof.
"If negligence, carelessness or any violation of the law is established, those responsible will face strict legal action," Bokhari said in a statement. She added that provincial authorities had ordered inspections of unsafe buildings ahead of the annual monsoon season and would introduce stricter regulations governing unregistered tutoring centers and other private educational facilities.
Police said investigators were examining whether ongoing construction work and poor building conditions contributed to the collapse. Senior police official Kamran Faisal said authorities had arrested two people, including the building owner, as the investigation continued.
"We are still investigating to determine exactly whose negligence resulted in this tragic incident," Faisal said. Officials stressed that responsibility had not yet been determined and that the inquiry remained ongoing.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed condolences to the families of the victims and called for stronger enforcement of safety measures to prevent similar disasters. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed grief and directed authorities to ensure medical care for those injured, according to official statements.
Funeral prayers for the victims began on Wednesday as grieving families gathered in Lahore. Some children were buried locally, while others were taken to their hometowns for burial. Residents demanded accountability, saying the tragedy could have been prevented if building safety regulations had been properly enforced.
Building collapses occur periodically in Pakistan, where weak enforcement of construction standards, aging structures and unauthorized building work have contributed to deadly accidents. Authorities said the investigation into the Lahore collapse was continuing and that further action would depend on its findings.
