By Faheem 

Three children from a poor family belonging to the Mohmand tribe died after allegedly eating poisonous wild mushrooms at their rented home in Shahpur Kakakhel Town, Peshawar, their family said.

The affected family alleged that they could not secure an intensive care unit (ICU) bed for the children at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), forcing them to seek treatment at a private hospital, where all three children died one after another.

The children's father, Zahir Shah, said he had brought mushrooms from nearby fields for his children and cooked them at home. However, after eating the mushrooms, he, his wife and their children fell seriously ill during the night.

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According to Zahir Shah, Rescue 1122 personnel shifted the family to Lady Reading Hospital at around 2am. He alleged that two to three hours were lost at the hospital before the children were eventually taken to a private hospital for treatment.

The three children, including 11-year-old Arooj, Faryal and their younger brother, subsequently died.

The family is reportedly living in extreme poverty and was unable to afford even the burial expenses. Local residents collected donations to arrange the children's funeral and burial.