Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz started the Apni Chhat Mehfooz Chhat scheme on July 17, 2026. She started it in memory of 14 children. These children died when a tuition centre roof fell on them in Kahna, Lahore on June 30, 2026. The scheme gives interest-free loans. Now families can repair weak roofs before they fall.
Every government scheme has a reason. This one has a very sad reason. When you know the reason, you understand why the government made this loan interest-free. You also understand why it kept the rules so easy.
This guide tells you what happened in Kahna. It tells you why that roof fell. And it shows you how to check if your own roof is in danger.
What Happened in Kahna
It was Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Children were sitting in their afternoon tuition class in Kahna Nau, near Lahore. Suddenly the roof fell on them.
Rescue 1122 got the call at about 4:45pm. Rescue teams reached the place and started work. They pulled out more than 20 people from the broken building.
Fourteen children died. Some other children and their lady teacher got injured. First they were taken to Kahna THQ Hospital. Later they were moved to Lahore General Hospital.
Most of the children were very small. Officials said the students were between 5 and 16 years old. Most of the children who died were younger than 9.
We do not write the names or show photos of these children. We do this out of respect for their families. This guide is only about the reason for the accident and the lesson for other families.
Why Did the Roof Fall?
Officials checked the place and told the reason clearly.
Lahore DIG Operations Faisal Kamran said the roof was weak. It was made with iron girders. Rain had made it even weaker.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said the first reports showed two more problems. The tuition centre was not registered with the government. And it was running inside a private house that was old and in bad condition.
So three problems happened at the same time:
- The old girder roof was already weak
- Heavy rain made it heavier and weaker
- The building was in bad condition and was not safe for a school
Sadly, this happens often in Pakistan. Roofs and buildings fall down many times every year. The main reasons are weak construction and poor quality building material.
What the Government Did
The government did two things. First it fixed the blame. Then it started work to stop such accidents.
| Date | What Happened |
|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | The roof falls in Kahna Nau. Fourteen children die |
| Same day | Police arrest the centre owner and one more person. An inquiry starts about carelessness and breaking of building rules |
| Next few days | The Chief Minister says the guilty people will not be spared. The Lahore Commissioner promises a fair and quick inquiry |
| July 17, 2026 | The Chief Minister starts the Apni Chhat Mehfooz Chhat portal in memory of the children |
At the launch, the Chief Minister said a house is not only bricks and cement. A house keeps a family safe. She said this accident had hurt her deeply. So the government started this project to make every home in Punjab strong and safe.
She also told the housing department to make the monthly installments smaller. She wanted poor families to afford the repair. This is why the installment for the Rs. 500,000 loan came down to about Rs. 4,700 per month. You can check your own numbers with our free loan calculator.
The Same Danger in Many Punjab Homes
Kahna was not the only such accident. Weak roofs fall in Punjab every year, mostly in the rainy season.
The story is always the same. An old roof stays up for many years. Then heavy rain soaks it. The roof becomes heavy. The weak part gives way. And the roof falls without any warning.
Poor families keep living under these roofs because they have no money for repair. This scheme tries to solve that problem. It gives you repair money before the rain breaks your roof.
7 Signs Your Roof May Be Unsafe
This is the most useful part of this guide. Check your own home for these signs, mostly before and during the rainy season.
- Cracks in the roof or ceiling. Very thin cracks can be normal. But wide cracks, or cracks that are growing, need quick attention.
- A roof that is bending down. Stand back and look at your ceiling. If any part looks low, bent, or not straight, it is a serious sign.
- Water leakage and wet patches. Rain water goes inside the roof. It makes the roof weak and makes the iron girders rusty.
- Plaster or small pieces of cement falling down. If pieces fall from your ceiling, the material is becoming weak.
- Rusty, bent, or moved girders. In old girder roofs, look for rust, bending, or girders that have moved from their place.
- Cracks in the walls. A roof is only as strong as the walls under it. Cracks near the top of a wall are dangerous.
- Sounds from the roof. Cracking noises, mostly after rain, mean the roof is in trouble.
If you see any of these signs, do not wait and do not guess. Stop using that room. Keep children away from it. Then call a good mason or an engineer to check it. We are not engineers. This guide cannot take the place of a proper check of your own house.
What You Can Do Now
Now you have a real option. You do not have to pay interest or big monthly payments.
- Apply for the Rs. 500,000 interest-free loan under Category 01. It is for roof repair and roof strengthening.
- Apply online at acag.punjab.gov.pk. If you do not use the internet, read our offline application guide.
- Read our complete program guide to know who can apply and which papers you need.
- Call the free helpline 0800-09100 if you need help at any step.
The government pays the processing fee. So applying costs you nothing. Be careful of any person who asks you for money.
اسکیم کیوں شروع ہوئی: اردو خلاصہ
30 جون 2026 کو لاہور کے علاقے کہنہ نو میں ایک ٹیوشن سینٹر کی چھت گر گئی۔ اس افسوسناک حادثے میں 14 بچے جان سے گئے۔ کچھ بچے اور ایک استانی زخمی ہوئیں۔ حکام کے مطابق چھت پرانے گارڈر کی تھی، عمارت خستہ حال تھی اور بارش نے اسے مزید کمزور کر دیا تھا۔
وزیراعلیٰ مریم نواز نے 17 جولائی 2026 کو انہی بچوں کی یاد میں اپنی چھت محفوظ چھت پروگرام شروع کیا۔ انہوں نے قسطیں کم کرنے کی ہدایت بھی دی تاکہ غریب گھرانے مرمت کروا سکیں۔ 5 لاکھ کے قرض کی قسط تقریباً 4,700 روپے ہے۔
اگر آپ کی چھت میں دراڑیں ہیں، وہ جھک رہی ہے، پانی ٹپکتا ہے یا پلستر گر رہا ہے تو فوراً کسی ماہر سے معائنہ کروائیں اور اس اسکیم سے قرض کے لیے درخواست دیں۔ درخواست بالکل مفت ہے۔
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why did the Punjab Government start Apni Chhat Mehfooz Chhat?
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz started the scheme on July 17, 2026. She started it in memory of the 14 children who died in the Kahna roof accident. The aim is to help families repair weak roofs with interest-free loans, so such accidents do not happen again.
What happened in the Kahna roof accident?
On June 30, 2026, the roof of a private tuition centre fell down in Kahna Nau, Lahore. Fourteen children died. Some other children and a teacher got injured. Rescue 1122 got the call at about 4:45pm and pulled more than 20 people out.
Why did the roof fall?
Lahore DIG Operations Faisal Kamran said the roof was weak and made with iron girders, and rain had made it weaker. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said the centre was not registered, and it was running inside an old private house in bad condition.
Did the government take any action?
Yes. Police arrested the centre owner and one more person. An inquiry started about carelessness and building rules. The Chief Minister said the guilty people will not be spared. A few weeks later, the government started this loan scheme for roof safety.
How do I know if my own roof is unsafe?
Look for cracks in the roof or walls, a roof that is bending down, water leakage and wet patches, falling plaster, and rusty or moved girders. If you see any of these signs, stop using that room and call a mason or engineer to check it.
Can I get a loan to repair my weak roof?
Yes. This scheme gives an interest-free loan up to Rs. 500,000 for roof repair. The monthly installment is about Rs. 4,700. Apply at acag.punjab.gov.pk or at your DC, AC, or PHATA office.
Conclusion
Fourteen families in Kahna lost their children. The roof was weak and everybody could see it. This is the reason the government started this scheme. This is also why the loan has no interest and small installments.
Look at your own roof today. If you see cracks, bending, leakage, or falling plaster, get it checked. Then apply for the repair loan. A safe roof is not a luxury. It is the first protection your family needs.
About the Author
Apni Chhat Mehfooz Chhat Guide Team
We are a team that follows the Apni Chhat Mehfooz Chhat scheme and explains it in easy English and Urdu. We take our facts from government notices and the official portal. We update our pages when the scheme changes. Read more about us or contact our team.