Swat drowning case: PHC summons KP officials over tourists rescue failure

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has taken serious notice of the Swat river tragedy that claimed the lives of at least 17 individuals, including tourists, following a flash flood in the Fizagat Bypass area, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Wednesday. 

During today's hearing, the court summoned key regional officials, including the commissioners of Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, Bannu, and Dera Ismail Khan, as well as the relevant regional police officers (RPOs), directing them to appear in person at the next hearing scheduled for tomorrow.

The case was heard by Chief Justice SM Atiq Shah and Justice Faheem Wali, who expressed strong dissatisfaction over the apparent negligence that led to the loss of innocent lives. The court instructed all concerned departments to present a detailed report on the incident by the next session.

The hearing stemmed from a petition concerning the deaths caused by the sudden flooding in the Swat River. The petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that 17 people died due to the surge in the river, blaming hotel owners for illegal encroachments along the riverbanks, which, he said, worsened the risk for tourists and directly contributed to the disaster.

PHC Chief Justice Attique Shah questioned the administration’s delayed response. “Seventeen lives were lost due to negligence. Why weren’t the tourists rescued on time? Why weren’t safety jackets dropped by drones? Who is responsible for managing river safety and tourist areas?” he asked.

The Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa replied that although an air ambulance was available, there was not enough time to deploy it effectively. He added that an anti-encroachment operation has now been launched in Swat, and several responsible officials have already been suspended.

Despite these measures, the court insisted that all commissioners and relevant officials must appear personally to explain the lapses. The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the search operation for missing child Abdullah entered its sixth consecutive day. Rescue teams remain active along the Swat River, where they have so far recovered 12 bodies. As of now, only two individuals have been rescued alive from the group of 19 that was swept away during the flash flood on June 27, following heavy rainfall that caused a sudden surge in water levels.

Reporter: Manzoor Hussain & Khawaja Subhan