PESHAWAR/SWAT: In the wake of the Swat tragedy that claimed the lives of 11 tourists from a Sialkot family, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced crackdown on illegal hotels and encroachments along the Swat riverved to prevent future disasters and ensure public safety.
The search is still on for two individuals, while four were rescued.
The incident occurred when 17 members of a family from Sialkot were swept away during a picnic along the Swat River due to a sudden surge in water. Despite immediate rescue efforts, several were carried off by the strong current.
The Director General of Rescue 1122 stated that the search and rescue mission has been ongoing for over 24 hours, now extending across Khwazakhela, Kabal Bypass, and Barikot.
Over 120 rescue personnel from Swat, Malakand, and Shangla have been deployed, using boats and other equipment to comb the river.
KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, in a statement, said that a complete ban has been imposed on all forms of mining activities along riverbeds. He also announced that a coordinated crackdown would begin on all encroachments, including hotels illegally constructed on or near riverbanks.
“An effective operation against encroachments along riverbanks and within river channels will commence from tomorrow,” a government statement said.
The chief secretary added that an inquiry committee has reached Swat and has begun investigating the tragedy. Officials found guilty of negligence will be identified and held accountable.
To centralise rescue and administrative operations, the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Relief) has been declared the response centre. Relevant department personnel will be stationed there for swift coordination.
Modern equipment, including drones and life jackets, is being provided to rescue teams. These tools will help in identifying and recovering stranded individuals. The irrigation department’s early warning system will also be reviewed and enhanced.
Police, district administration, and Rescue 1122 officials will patrol rivers across Malakand Division to monitor activity and ensure public safety. Teams will also be responsible for keeping the public away from dangerous river zones.
Separately, the KP government also suspended Swat Deputy Commissioner Shahzad Mehboob and appointed Saleem Khan in his place.
Bodies arrived in ‘dumpers’
Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has strongly criticised the KP government for transporting the recovered bodies in garbage-carrying dumpers.
Speaking in the Punjab Assembly, she said: “Rescue personnel couldn’t reach on time, and when they recovered the bodies, they used a dumper — the kind used for transporting rubbish — to bring those corpses to Punjab. If you couldn’t save them, at least deliver them home with honour.”
Later, the Punjab Assembly also passed a condemnation resolution — tabled by PML-N MPA Rana Arshad — against the KP government over the Swat tragedy, expressing deep grief and solidarity with the families of the victims.
The resolution stated that the KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur should resign on moral grounds over the government’s alleged failure to prevent the incident.
It further demanded a transparent investigation into the tragedy and urged that legal action be taken against those responsible.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also castigated the KP government over its handling of the Swat tragedy, calling it a complete failure of governance and disaster management.
Addressing a press conference, Tarar questioned why only the DC was suspended while “it is the chief minister who should be held accountable.”
“The chief minister’s base camp is in Adiala,” he said, in a jibe directed at incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan. “Tourists were screaming for help, children were crying, and no one came to rescue them for hours,” he added.
Tarar criticised the CM’s remarks that distributing tents was not his responsibility. “If that’s the case, then shut down the PDMA,” he said, adding: “In twelve years, they couldn’t even establish a functioning rescue system.”
Reacting to the tragic incident, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi censured CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s government and its failure to ensure timely response and preventive measures.
“This is not just incompetence. It is a shameful failure of duty,” Governor Kundi wrote in a post on X. Furthermore, in a separate video message on X, the governor urged CM Gandapur to “show moral courage and resign without delay” as he was both the provincial chief executive and also held the tourism portfolio.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the country’s leadership have expressed sorrow over the incident.
The national meteorological service warned that the risk of heavy rain and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Tuesday.
