Peshawar school tragedy: Families reveal ‘gross negligence,’ demand strict action

Dialogue Pakistan spoke to families of innocent victims who died in the Peshawar school tragedy. Most families lost two to four children in the tragedy, while five victims belonged to one family.

Muhammad Zaman, who lost his two nephews, made shocking revelations regarding the negligent behaviour of the school administration, alleging that the owner locked the gates when the school roof collapsed in a panic, delaying the rescue response by two hours, which could have saved many lives.

He further alleged that the owner was not a Pakistani national and expressed concerns over NOCs being issued to such individuals who only seek profitability from the miseries of others.

Another relative, Abdullah, who lost five of his family members, recounted the haunting experience of rescuing children. A resident named Naseer told Dialogue Pakistan that the owner had been warned against building a school in the area. “Students used to complain about the condition of the ceiling, but the administration was not alarmed,” he added.

Asadullah also lost his son and nephew in the tragedy, and he demanded strict scrutiny and inspection of more schools so that no other father would have to experience what he did.

Hussain Ahmed, who lost two of his nephews, revealed that one family lost a child who was the only 'normal child' among their differently-abled siblings, while another victim was born after 21 years of marriage.

The incident claimed the lives of over 30 people, with the majority of victims being children from kindergarten to Class 3 who were below the age of 13.