Fourteen children died after the roof of a building near Lahore collapsed on top of them, officials say.
The incident occurred in a private tuition centre in the Kahna suburb of Lahore, where young students were studying at the time of the collapse.
Many of the victims were under ten years old, prompting urgent rescue operations.
Authorities have launched an investigation and taken two people into custody as part of the initial inquiry.
Farooq Ahmed, a spokesperson for emergency service Rescue 1122, said the call about the incident was received at 16:45 (12:45 BST). He reported that the rescue operation was completed within an hour and that most recovered students were aged between seven and eleven.
Five people are believed to have been injured in the collapse.
A man whose niece was among the victims told AFP that the roof had been in “poor shape” and that tiles were being repaired while students studied. “Suddenly the roof collapsed on top of quite a few children,” he said. “They put a lot of weight on the roof and that’s why this has happened.”
Another resident told the Associated Press: “We don’t know whose home to visit first to offer condolences for the loss of their children.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences, praying for the speedy recovery of the injured and directing authorities to provide every possible medical assistance.
The Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, called it a heartbreakining tragedy, saying “the loss of 14 innocent lives is an immeasurable sorrow, and my heart goes out to the grieving families.”
She added, “Every individual found accountable will face the full force of the law.”
Rescue 1122 crew photographed at the scene of the collapse, 30 June 2026.
