Families of children killed in a school roof collapse in northwest Pakistan have called for justice following the tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 30 students and a teacher. The incident occurred on Thursday morning in Peshawar, where a roof gave way at a local school, resulting in the deaths of 32 pupils, most of whom were under the age of 14, along with a female teacher.

Relatives of the victims gathered near the site on Friday to mourn and demand accountability. Muhammad Wahab, a tailor whose 11-year-old nephew Hammad was among the deceased, urged authorities to deliver justice for the families affected. He described Hammad as a promising student who had been performing well academically before the collapse.

Another grieving parent, identified as Asadullah, said he lost multiple family members, including his son and nephew, and emphasized that the children were diligent students who attended school with enthusiasm. Eyewitnesses and rescuers at the scene recounted chaotic efforts to extricate children trapped under debris, with some students found submerged up to their necks beneath the rubble.

Sohail, who rushed to the site after hearing the news from his niece who had escaped safely, told reporters that he and others swiftly began pulling children free from the collapsed structure. Emergency service footage showed rescue personnel actively clearing rubble and debris in an effort to save survivors.

Authorities attributed the collapse to weak and deteriorating infrastructure, a common issue in Pakistan, where building safety standards are often lacking. A senior official in Peshawar, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the school owner had been detained as investigations continue.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life in an online statement, while President Asif Ali Zardari called the disaster a heartbreaking tragedy.

Such incidents are frequent in Pakistan, reflecting widespread problems with construction quality and enforcement of safety regulations in the country of over 240 million people. Earlier this year in June, more than a dozen children died when a roof collapsed at a tutoring center in Lahore. In 2025, a five-story building collapse in the southern city of Karachi resulted in 27 deaths and multiple injuries in a similarly impoverished neighborhood.

The recent roof failure in Peshawar has renewed calls for stronger oversight and stricter implementation of building codes to prevent further loss of life, as families and communities seek answers and redress.