Despite the recent devastating floods in Swat and adjoining areas, the ruling party members are seemingly not bothered about even understanding the reasons. In fact, they have aimed at grabbing more land and that too in riverbed completely ignoring the consequences.

In this connection, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Saturday that an under-construction hotel of PTI MNA Haji Shaukat Ali was demolished as part of an anti-encroachment drive along the Swat River.

The PTI lawmaker was involved in this illegal construction in the picturesque Madyan area of Swat.

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Interestingly, Shaukat is also serving as a parliamentary secretary for the interior. He was elected to the National Assembly from NA-31, Peshawar-V, in the July 25, 2018 general elections. 

Officials in Swat launched the latest anti-encroachment drive after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmood ordered the immediate removal of such constructions along the Swat River during a visit to his native district last month.

File photo of Haji Shaukat Ali.

Swat Deputy Commissioner Saqib Raza said encroachments along the river were demolished with immediate effect on the chief minister’s directives. 

There won’t be any compromise, he said and added that all the encroachments would be removed from Kalam to Landakay along the river.

Illegal constructions are one of the reasons behind the destruction caused by flash flooding or river flooding as these shrink the riverbed, resulting in overflow and higher intensity of floods.