Peshawar High Court (PHC) chief justice directs that those responsible for negligence must be identified without delay and held accountable
PESHAWAR: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 3rd, 2025) The Chairman of Inspection Team probing the Swat tragedy on Thursday admitted before the Peshawar High Court that multiple government departments displayed negligence in connection with the incident that claimed several lives.
Senior officials appeared before the bench and provided updates on the ongoing investigation during the hearing on the case related to the drowning of tourists in Swat River.
The Chairman of the Inspection Team informed the court that various lapses have been identified in the preliminary findings. In response, Peshawar High Court (PHC) chief justice directed that those responsible for negligence must be identified without delay and held accountable.
During the proceedings, the CJ questioned the Commissioner Hazara Division about steps taken to ensure tourist safety in the region. The court inquired about emergency preparedness and medical facilities. The commissioner stated that Section 144 had been imposed in tourist hotspots, encroachments were being removed, and additional staff had been deployed at the Nathia Gali Hospital to handle emergencies.
The court also raised concerns over emergency response capabilities following the Swat incident. When asked if drones could be used for rapid rescue operations, the commissioner confirmed that drones equipped to deliver life jackets had been procured. The court instructed authorities to conduct trial exercises with drones to test response time and efficiency, warning that failure during an actual emergency would be unacceptable.
The CJ further emphasized the need for a secure environment for tourists. Regional Police Officer (RPO) Hazara assured the court that police and rescue services were coordinating closely to ensure public safety.
The court also directed Commissioner Malakand and the RPO to submit detailed reports to the court, including findings of the official investigation into the Swat tragedy.
Rescue DG questioned over incident response
In a parallel development, Director General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122 Shah Fahad appeared before the inquiry committee investigating the Swat tragedy. He was questioned about his location during the incident and the rescue efforts undertaken by his department.
Shah Fahad informed the committee that he was in Peshawar at the time of the incident on June 27. He said that rescue operations were launched at several locations in Swat, during which dozens of people trapped in flash floods were saved.
According to him, the first emergency call was received at 9:45 am, and an ambulance was dispatched promptly, although the nature of the emergency was initially unclear.
He added that the divers, rescue boats and other equipment were immediately sent to the site. Three tourists were rescued from the Swat River near the Mingora Bypass Road. He confirmed that some rescue officials were suspended in the aftermath of the tragedy, and an internal inquiry is underway to determine any further lapses.
The Swat tragedy has raised serious questions about the preparedness and coordination of relevant authorities during natural emergencies in tourist areas, prompting judicial scrutiny and public outrage.
