Pressure builds on KP Govt to hold officials accountable in Swat tragedy
PESHAWAR (APP): A growing chorus of voices from civil society, political leadership, and the general public is demanding swift and transparent implementation of the inquiry report into the River Swat tragedy, which claimed the lives of 18 tourists in broad daylight.
The tragedy, which shocked the entire nation, has now become a rallying point for public calls for accountability and systemic reforms to avert such unfortunate incidents in future.
Last month, a scenic family of Punjab and Mardan outing along the Swat River turned catastrophic when a sudden surge of floodwater swept away a group of tourists and later their bodies were recovered from different places of the killer river.
Haunting footage of victims clinging desperately to rocks, crying for help, spread rapidly across social media, igniting grief and outrage nationwide.
In response to public outcry, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government formed a high-level Provincial Inspection Team (PIT) to investigate the tragic incident.
The team submitted a 63-page report last week to Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, detailing a cascade of institutional failures that led to the tragedy.
The PIT report paints a damning picture of systemic negligence by the different departments. It identified glaring lapses by the district administration, Rescue 1122, local government, irrigation, and police departments.
Among the most serious findings were poor inter-departmental coordination during emergencies and non-functional early warning systems besides delayed response by rescue teams and lack of trained personnel and equipment.
Negligent hotel management, who failed to inform guests about flood risks, unregulated riverside construction, with over 1,000 kanals of encroached land and structures built without proper safety considerations were also reported.
The PIT did not merely list the shortcomings but it also recommended disciplinary action against specific government officers and proposed an overhaul of existing safety regulations.
Civil society members and political leaders have called on the KP government to ensure the report does not gather dust and justice to be seen.
Misal Khan, a retired government servant, said, “The Swat tragedy deeply saddened the nation and laid bare the negligence of authorities. Swift disciplinary action is the only way to bring solace to the victims’ families.”
He said such incidents make bad impact on culture and tourism of Swat where alarge number of people relied on as for their families livelihood is concerned.
Hamza Khan, PML-N KP Nowshera President, stressed the urgency of accountability: “The victims waited for hours for help that never arrived. If this report ends up in cold storage, it’ll be an insult to their memory.”
He said Swat tragedy exposed hallow slogans of good governance of PTI.
Besides poor preparedness and lackluster response, PTI Govt failed to provide helicopter for rescue of the victims who cried for help almost the whole day.
Former Secretary of Environment, Zahur Khalil, labeled this a “test case” for the provincial leadership. “If real consequences don’t follow, we are bound to see more such disasters in future ” he cautioned.
Chief Minister KP has accepted the PIT’s recommendations and set a 60-day deadline for disciplinary actions against the nominated officials for showing negligence of duties.
Additionally, a comprehensive set of reforms and safety measures have been rolled out including oversight committee led by the Chief Secretary to supervise implementation, river safety regulations to be integrated into the monsoon contingency plan.
The crackdown on illegal construction has already led to the sealing of 127 buildings, removal of encroachments over 1,019 kanals, and installation of 174 safety barriers.
Public awareness campaigns on river safety to be launched province-wide and 36 new rescue stations, procurement of modern rescue equipment worth Rs. 739 million, and a Rs. 200 million digital monitoring system will be established.
Despite the government’s announcements, public trust hinges on visible and meaningful action. The next two months will be crucial for the KP government to demonstrate that it is serious about reform and accountability.
“This isn’t just about one tragedy,” said Zahur Khalil. “It’s about setting a precedent. If the responsible go unpunished, then the government has learned nothing.”
As the province watches closely, the River Swat tragedy stands as a stark reminder that natural disasters often turn deadly not because of nature, but because of human failure.
Whether the KP government turns this tragedy into a turning point or a missed opportunity will determine not only its credibility, but also the safety of future generations.
