ISLAMABAD: An inquiry into a school collapse that killed 35 people in northwestern Pakistan has blamed the owner for using substandard construction materials and identified negligence by government departments, the governor’s office said on Wednesday.

The roof of the private school in Peshawar’s Dir Colony collapsed during classes on October 15, killing 34 children and a female teacher. The disaster prompted authorities to order inspections of private schools across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The findings raise questions about both construction standards and regulatory oversight. After the collapse, relatives of some victims said they had previously complained to the school’s owner about rainwater seeping into classrooms.

“The inquiry report held the school owner responsible for the use of substandard materials in the construction of the school building,” the governor’s office said in a statement.

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi received the report at a meeting attended by senior education officials, the provincial chief secretary and members of the inquiry committee.

The committee briefed him on the causes of the collapse, statements from relevant officials, departmental responsibilities and its findings and recommendations.

The statement said Kundi was also informed of negligence by the departments concerned, but did not identify the officials involved or detail their failures.

Kundi directed authorities to consult the provincial law department on the report’s legal implications and take strict action against those responsible. The statement announced no new arrests, prosecutions or disciplinary penalties.

Police arrested the school owner after the collapse and registered a criminal case against the owners, shareholders and construction contractor. The case included an allegation of causing death without an intention to kill.

The governor’s statement did not include a response from the owner or the departments criticized by the inquiry. It also provided no update on the province-wide school inspections ordered after the disaster.