Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the rescue timeline of the roof collapse incident at an unregistered tuition centre in Lahore’s Kahna area, which killed 14 children and injured multiple others.
As per the details, journalist Nusrat Javeed, during a show on a private media outlet, asked his reporter about locals claiming delay in arrival of rescue teams and the subsequent operation at the site of the incident.
“Sir this area is 2.5 km away from the main road and there are narrow streets and the cars cannot enter in this area easily,” the reporter responded. He went on to quote the father of one of the victims named Mahnoor, and revealed that the man had received a phone call about the collapse at 3 pm but rescue teams did not receive an official alert until 4:45 pm.
Lahore Metropolitan Corporation (LMC) official Kashif Aslam filed a police complaint after reaching the site at around 5:15 pm while children were still buried under the rubble.
Following his complaint, Kahna police registered a FIR [First Information Report] under sections 322 (manslaughter) and 337-H (rash or negligent acts) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran confirmed that the FIR named both the tuition centre owner and the construction company working on a section of the house that was under construction when the structure gave way.
Edhi rescue service reported that the roof used TR girders and collapsed suddenly.
“The children were very young, and there were two rooms in use. The ceilings collapsed and trapped the children,” Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmed said, adding that the deceased were between five and 16 years old.
Earlier, Lahore District Education Authority CEO Tariq Mahmood confirmed the building housed a private tuition centre run by a local female resident of the area.
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif called the event a tragedy, stating there would be no leniency for those responsible for this tragic act of negligence.
“Every individual found accountable will face the full force of the law. We owe it to the victims and their families to ensure that justice is served.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Minister Ishaq Dar and Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon offered condolences to the families and prayed for the recovery of the injured.
Former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar said, “My heart aches hearing about the Lahore incident of a collapsed roof of a tuition centre. I can’t imagine the pain parents must be going through.”
Activist Ammar Ali Jan said that the event “represents the vast class divide in urban Pakistan”. He added it was not a natural disaster, “but a failure of an unjust, elite-driven governance model”.
Journalist Asad Ali Toor reported that police had already arrested the contractor who recently built the house.
