Islamabad, July 2: A tragic incident occurred in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when a boat carrying tourists capsized on Saifullah Lake, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, with one person still missing.
A district police officer informed the media that the boat, which was carrying eight members of the same family, overturned in the Sundar Kalam area of Swat District on Wednesday.
According to reports from the Xinhua news agency, the bodies of seven victims have been recovered, while rescue teams, police officials, and local volunteers continue to search for the missing person.
Local media reported that prior to this incident, on Tuesday, at least 14 children lost their lives and several others were injured when the roof of a private tuition academy collapsed in the Kaina area of Lahore.
Confirming the death toll, Khawaja Imran Nazir, the health minister of Punjab province, stated that around 20 individuals were trapped under the debris, including the 14 children who were brought dead to the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital.
After the search and rescue operation concluded, Farooq Ahmed, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, mentioned that a female teacher and eight children were admitted to Lahore General Hospital (LGH) with various injuries, with five children in critical condition.
Pakistani media outlet Dawn quoted Ahmed, saying, “The children were very young, and two rooms were in use. The roofs collapsed, trapping the children.”
The Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRC) expressed deep concern over the tragic roof collapse incident. The HRC accused authorities of negligence for failing to inspect the quality of construction for such academies and buildings in residential areas, which led to the loss of innocent lives.
Reports indicate that roof and building collapses are a recurring issue in Pakistan, often attributed to weak safety regulations and poor construction materials, leading to such tragic events.
Earlier on Monday, in the Ali Pur Tehsil of Muzaffargarh district, two minor sisters died when the wall of their home collapsed, injuring their cousin.
According to Dawn, in a separate incident earlier this month, three family members died when the roof of an under-construction room collapsed in the Jaranwala Tehsil of Faisalabad district.
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