Three young girls were killed in Pakistan’s Umerkot district on Tuesday after a portion of a government primary school wall collapsed and fell on them in the Gamoori Kori area, officials and local residents said.
The incident occurred when the girls, aged between three and 13 years, were returning home after attending a nearby seminary and passing alongside the school structure. According to local accounts, the wall suddenly gave way, trapping them under debris before they could be rescued. They were later declared dead at Umerkot Civil Hospital.
The victims were identified as Sughra (13), Rabia (4), and Kaneeza (3). Their bodies were handed over to families after legal formalities.
Local residents said the school building had been weakened during the 2022 floods in Sindh, raising long-standing concerns about structural safety in the area.
Following the incident, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah took notice and ordered an inquiry. The education minister said the building had previously been declared flood-affected and noted that thousands of schools across Sindh were damaged in recent years due to flooding.
Political leaders and local representatives described the tragedy as a result of administrative failure and negligence, calling for accountability and support for the affected families.
Authorities say further investigation is underway.
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