The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan has expressed serious concern over a tragic incident in Lahore’s Kahna area where a private tuition centre’s roof collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 14 children and injuries to several others. The collapse occurred at a private tuition academy, claiming the lives of at least 14 children and leaving many others wounded, as per local officials. Punjab province Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazeer confirmed the death toll, mentioning that around 20 individuals, including the 14 deceased children, were trapped under the debris.
Following the search and rescue operation, a Rescue 1122 spokesperson, Farooq Ahmed, reported that a female teacher and eight children were taken to Lahore General Hospital (LGH) with multiple injuries. He highlighted that five children were in critical condition, emphasizing the young age of the victims and the circumstances of the incident. The HRC criticized the lack of inspection of construction quality in such establishments, attributing the tragedy to gross negligence that has led to the loss of innocent lives.
The rights body urged the Pakistani government and relevant authorities to promptly conduct a transparent inquiry into the incident to hold those accountable for the negligence. It also called for providing top-notch medical care to the injured children and ensuring comprehensive support, both financially and psychologically, to the affected families. Emphasizing the state’s responsibility to protect children and ensure a safe educational environment, the HRC stressed the need for immediate and stringent measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Reports indicate that Pakistan faces a recurring issue of roof and building collapses due to weak safety enforcement and the use of substandard construction materials. In a recent incident, two minor sisters lost their lives, and their cousin was injured after a house’s boundary wall collapsed in Punjab’s Muzaffargarh district. Additionally, three family members died in another incident when a room’s roof under construction collapsed in Faisalabad district’s Jaranwala tehsil.
