Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan The tragic collapse of the roof of Al Khair Education System, a private educational institution in Peshawar’s Dir Colony, which claimed the lives of dozens of children and teachers, has raised serious questions about school building construction standards, official approvals, structural fitness certification and the effectiveness of regulatory oversight. According to preliminary information, the affected school was registered with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority (KP PSRA) in March 2026. However, complete records confirming a formal technical inspection of the building’s structural integrity and official approval of its fitness have yet to emerge. Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar Dr Mian Saeed, referring to the preliminary findings of the investigation, described the school building as structurally weak and poorly constructed. According to his assessment, the fragile condition of the structure contributed to the collapse, while reports have also emerged suggesting that steel reinforcement bars were not used in the construction. However, definitive findings regarding the use of steel reinforcement, the quantity of reinforcement materials and the overall construction quality will only become clear following a detailed technical inspection and comprehensive investigation. Police have arrested the school owner and launched an investigation, while a criminal case has also been registered against the school owners, shareholders and construction contractor. The case reportedly refers to the use of substandard construction materials and the deteriorating condition of the building’s roofs and walls. According to police records, concerns about the building’s condition had previously been raised, but the school administration allegedly failed to address them. Investigators are also examining whether the required building safety standards were followed during the original construction and any subsequent structural modifications. According to Javed Iqbal, Managing Director of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority, the affected school was registered in March 2026. He told the media that investigations had revealed that technical experts were not present during the school’s inspection, although the participation of qualified construction professionals was essential to assess the building’s foundations, classrooms and overall structural condition. This revelation has raised a fundamental question: if the school had been officially registered, was a structural stability assessment obtained from a qualified civil or structural engineer before its registration? If a building fitness certificate had been issued, which institution and authorised official approved it? Furthermore, were all floors, roofs, columns and foundations properly examined before approval was granted? The incident is not the first involving the collapse of an educational institution’s building in Pakistan. On June 30, 2026, the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area, killing 14 children. Investigations revealed that the tuition centre was operating in a residential building and was not registered with any relevant government authority. Similarly, on July 2, 2026, the roof of an under-construction private school collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area, killing one child and injuring several others. Following the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed the authorities to conduct immediate safety audits of school buildings in densely populated areas and initiate legal action against those responsible for substandard construction. On May 7, 2026, the roof of a classroom at a private school in Dera Ghazi Khan collapsed, killing four children and injuring 20 others. Investigations revealed that expansion work was underway at the school building. In September 2024, the roof of a private school in Muzaffargarh collapsed, killing one student and injuring six others. The incident also raised concerns about unauthorised construction on an upper floor and the additional structural load placed on an ageing roof. On September 11, 2026, the collapse of a deteriorating government school wall in Karachi’s Orangi Town claimed five lives. Similarly, on June 30, 2026, three girls lost their lives when the boundary wall of a government primary school collapsed in Sindh’s Umerkot district. These incidents indicate that structural safety risks are not confined to private educational institutions, as government school buildings also require comprehensive safety assessments and regular inspections. Following the latest tragedy in Peshawar, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has directed the Communication and Works Department to establish district level technical teams to assess the structural condition of government school buildings across the province. The teams will inspect roofs, walls, foundations, beams, staircases and other structural components to identify potentially unsafe buildings and recommend necessary remedial measures. District authorities have been instructed to submit their assessment reports by October 26, 2026. Reports have also emerged that district level inspection committees are being established to examine the structural safety of private school buildings across the province.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s mosque solarisation programme has come under scrutiny following allegations of irregularities in tendering, cost estimates and contract management. The provincial energy development organisation has rejected suggestions of unlawful favouritism, maintaining that established procurement procedures were followed. According to documents cited in a media report, successful bids for all seven packages covering the solarisation of 2,490 mosques during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government were between 7.98% and 10.99% higher than official estimates. The difference reportedly placed an additional burden of more than Rs 500 million on the public exchequer. The report also raised questions about the participation of two companies that were initially disqualified during prequalification. Both firms were subsequently allowed to rejoin the tender process after filing complaints. Their readmission has become one of the procurement decisions highlighted in the allegations. Cost calculations have drawn further scrutiny. The estimated cost per solar unit reportedly differed by approximately Rs 156,000 from that of an earlier project carried out by the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC). The reported comparison has raised questions about the basis used to prepare estimates for the subsequent work. Separately, the documents reportedly identified delays in NRTC’s earlier contract and cited potential penalties of around Rs 586 million. According to the report, the penalties were not imposed, while NRTC received another contract, valued at an estimated Rs 419.1 million, to solarise 500 mosques. These claims have brought the enforcement of contractual obligations into focus, alongside questions over procurement decisions and project costs. The reported penalty figure represents a potential contractual liability rather than a confirmed recovery. Responding to the allegations, the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) said the project had complied with all legal requirements and transparency standards. It maintained that bids were assessed under established rules and that no company had received an unlawful benefit. PEDO attributed implementation delays to funding constraints and administrative issues. Its position disputes the allegations of improper handling of the project. The provincial government has set an overall target of converting 7,500 mosques to solar power. The allegations concern procurement and contract management within the programme; the supplied report does not establish a final finding of corruption.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan Preparations for construction work on the multipurpose Kurram Tangi Dam project had been completed, officials told then Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra during a briefing organised by the FATA Secretariat. According to the supplied report, officials informed the governor that construction was expected to begin the following month. However, the date of the original briefing remains unclear, and the announcement does not establish a confirmed construction start date for November 2026. The meeting reviewed foreign-funded development projects in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas, with the Kurram Tangi Dam discussed as an initiative intended to strengthen water and energy infrastructure serving Bannu and North Waziristan. Officials said the project would provide water for agricultural use, generate low-cost hydroelectricity and create employment opportunities for local residents. These objectives combine infrastructure development with support for farming and livelihoods in surrounding communities. Improved irrigation supplies could help farmers make more productive use of agricultural land and plan cultivation with greater confidence. The hydropower component is intended to provide an additional source of electricity, while construction activity is expected to generate local employment. The briefing was attended by Additional Chief Secretary FATA Muhammad Aslam Kamboh, senior project officials, representatives associated with USAID and other members of the administration. Participants reviewed preparations for the dam alongside other externally supported development initiatives. The supplied account did not specify the project’s approved cost, construction duration, water storage capacity or electricity generation capacity. It also did not identify the construction stage covered by the announcement.