PESHAWAR: Member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Advisory Council for Education Dr Syed Aamir Abdullah on Thursday directed the secretary of the elementary and secondary education department Inayatullah Waseem to review safety rules and regulations at educational institutions across the province in the wake of the deadly collapse of a school roof in Dir Colony here.
He also ordered the development of a comprehensive mechanism to ensure effective implementation of safety measures.
Dr Abdullah also said a survey of buildings of educational institutions should be carried out across the province, while its report should be submitted to him in the next four days.
“The survey will assess the existing condition of school buildings and the effectiveness of safety arrangements, identify potential hazards and help ensure necessary measures for the protection and safety of students,” he said.
Advisory body member seeks report in four days
Expressing grief and sorrow over the loss of minor lives in the Dir Colony school incident, Dr Abdullah said that the safety of students must remain the foremost priority in educational institutions and that all necessary precautionary measures must be ensured.
He also attended the collective funeral prayers of the deceased and offered condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families.
The council member prayed for the eternal peace of the deceased and for patience and strength for the grieving families.
Meanwhile, member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Advisory Council for Information and Public Relations Samar Haroon Bilour visited the Dir Colony school’s building and expressed deep grief and sorrow over the collapse incident.
She said it was an extremely tragic incident that had saddened every heart.
“The grief of the affected families is our own grief and that the entire country stands with them in their sorrow,” she told reporters.
The council member said the condition of the building pointed to apparent administrative negligence.
She questioned why the building wasn’t regularly inspected and monitored.
Ms Bilour said that using a three-storey building despite its poor construction was itself negligence, as a result of which “our children” fell victim to such a major tragedy.
She said that strict action would be taken against those responsible for the tragedy.
“The owner of the building has been arrested, while the education secretary has ordered a large-scale inquiry into the incident,” she said.
The council member said human lives were irreplaceable but compensation would be given to the affected families.
Referring to the National Action Plan, she said it included the registration and regulation of madressahs, but regrettably it had not been effectively implemented in the province.
Ms Bilour urged the relevant institutions to fulfil their responsibilities and called for effective measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
Separately, the council member visited the Lady Reading Hospital to review the medical care being provided to the injured children.
She inquired after the children undergoing treatment and prayed for their recovery.
Ms Bilour also met the affected families, shared in their grief and assured them that the entire country stood by them in the difficult hour.
She directed the hospital administration to provide the best possible medical facilities and to ensure there was no negligence in the treatment and care of the injured children.
Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2026
