Lahore: Rescue officials said a roof collapsed at a private tutoring center in Lahore, eastern Pakistan, killing 14 children aged between 5 and 16, most of whom were under 9.
According to Thai News Agency, authorities also found the body of a 30-year-old female teacher trapped under the rubble along with a group of students. Officials have now launched an investigation into the possible cause of the accident, which may have been due to negligence.
The Punjab State Minister of Information revealed that initial reports found the tutoring center was not properly registered and was operating from a dilapidated private residence. Such tutoring centers are common throughout Pakistan, as children often seek supplementary education outside of regular school hours. Authorities emphasized that any negligence or violation of the law will be prosecuted decisively.
This incident has prompted Punjab state authorities to order an urgent inspection of all unsafe buildings in preparation for the monsoon season, and to prepare stricter regulations for unregistered private educational institutions. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his condolences for the loss of life and called for the effective enforcement of building safety measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.