
KHAR: Seven children were killed and five other persons wounded when roof of a house collapsed due to heavy rain in Bajaur tribal district on Wednesday, officials and residents said.
Residents said the incident occurred in Badan area, some 18 kilometers from Khar at about 1pm, killing seven children and injuring five others. They said the house belonged to Malik Baz Mohammad.
The residents said that family members were sitting in a room when the roof collapsed. They said the people of nearby houses reached the scene soon after the incident and retrieved the bodies and wounded from the rubble.
Assistant commissioner Habibullah Khan Wazir told Dawn that five children were killed on the spot, while two died on way to the district headquarters hospital, Khar. However, the residents complained that no district administration or the Rescue 1122 official arrived at the scene after the tragedy.
The officials identified the deceased children as Hina Bibi, Hafsa Bibi, Asia Bibi, Huzefa Bibi, Anees Khan, Habib Khan and Hameed Khan.
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Usman Mehsud along with officials visited the district headquarters hospital to enquire after the injured persons.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami MPA Sirajuddin Khan gave away Rs50,000 to the victims’ family. Also, a woman was critically wounded after a roof collapsed in Markhani area in Nawagai town on Wednesday.
Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2020