DERA GHAZI KHAN: The parents of the deceased minor students have demanded that the case be registered based on their own complaint, not on the one filed by a government official of the municipal corporation.

They believe that registering the case on the complaint of a municipal official is an attempt to protect the responsible officers from accountability. They staged a sit-in to press for their demands.

Among the victims was Hania, a child born after 12 years of waiting by her parents. Following her death, her parents refused to bury their daughter until the case was registered on their complaint. The family has accused certain corporation officers and officials — specifically the CO of the corporation, inspector, and other officials — of negligence and silence instead of taking necessary action.

The family announced that they would not proceed with the burial until strict legal action was initiated against those responsible, a stance that escalated tensions in the area, with citizens gathering in large numbers to express solidarity.

District Police Officer Sadiq Baloch claimed that after negotiations, the burial was conducted on his assurance.

Deputy Commissioner Usman Khalid said parents have the right to register a case against those responsible for the fatal incident.

An initial report stated that all aspects of the school building’s construction, permits, and safety standards were being reviewed. Authorities have assured that if any negligence or violation is proven, strict legal action will be taken against the officials.

Experts have pointed out that the lack of regular inspections of educational institutions’ buildings is a serious issue that can lead to such accidents. Civil society groups have demanded an immediate safety audit of all private and government schools to prevent such incidents in the future.

The DC informed that the school’s registration was valid only until 2003, and since then it has been manually renewed but the nursery section was never registered at all.

DPO Sadiq Baloch stated that after negotiations with Hania’s grieving parents, they would be included as complainants in the already registered case. He further maintained that the second case of one incident can’t be registered as per law.

Despite successfully negotiating with the authorities, the parents of the victims of the Little Scholars School staged a sit-in at Hospital Chowk, demanding the registration of an FIR against the principal and other responsible officers on their complaint.

At least four schoolchildren died and 16 others, besides two schoolteachers and as many employees, were left injured, when the roof of a classroom caved in at the Little Scholars School in the city, allegedly because of illegal construction work at an adjacent building.

A case was registered on the complaint of Municipal Corporation Enforcement Inspector Irfan Haider by DGK City police against four persons, building owners Arman and Arsalan, school owner Akram and contractor Tufail.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2026