PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court on Thursday ordered the local government department to approach the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary for further probe into multiple tourist deaths due to flooding in Swat in June this year.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Mohammad Ijaz Khan directed the special secretary of the local government department, Arshad Khan Afridi, to send a letter to the chief secretary for further probing the incident wherein 13 tourists were swept away by gushing flood water near a roadside hotel at Fizzagut in Swat.
It directed the secretary to submit a copy of the letter to the high court after its dispatch to the chief secretary.
The bench was hearing multiple petitions related to the Jun 27th incident.
Directs LG dept to approach chief secretary on matter
One of the petitions is filed by lawyer Naeem Ahmad Khattak seeking the court’s orders for the respondents, including the government, to take effective measures and remove obstacles and encroachments near river beds throughout the province.
Another petition is filed by a citizen, Amir Alam, for ordering a judicial inquiry into the ‘circumstances’ that led to the incident as well as a probe into the alleged misuse of Rescue 1122 vehicles by the provincial government for ‘political’ purposes.
A committee probing the incident submitted its report to the government as well as the high court in July.
The inquiry committee included chairman of the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team Khayyam Hassan Khan, as its head, and Inspector General of Prison Mohammad Usman and director (Admn) at the excise and taxation department Sheharyar Qamar as members.
The petitioners’ counsel, including Nasir Khan and Babar Khan Yousafzai, special secretary Arshid Khan Afridi, deputy attorney general Gohar Rehman Khattak and additional advocate general Riaz Khan Paindakhel, turned up in the hearing, whereas advocate Sikander Rasheed appeared as amicus curiae.
During the hearing on Thursday, Mr Arshad Afridi informed the bench that though an official of the tehsil municipal administration in Swat was held responsible in the inquiry report for issuance of license to an illegally constructed hotel but the said official was not posted there at the relevant time.
He suggested that further probe was required for ascertaining exact responsibility of the negligent officials.
Moreover, he said that more inquiry may be held regarding the role of irrigation and communication and works departments, as the hotel in question, situated near the river-bed, was on the property of the former department, whereas the road passing by was the responsibility of the latter department.
The bench directed him to approach the chief secretary and whichever department he considered necessary, should be included in the further probe.
The chief justice observed that in the incident several persons including tourists had lost their precious lives by drowning in the flooded Swat River.
He observed that the unfortunate victims were taking breakfast along the river bank when they were engulfed by the rising waters and they met the tragic end in front of their family members.
The bench observed that prima facie the incident appeared to be the result of gross negligence, in action and callous attitude on the part of the concerned authorities, who failed to discharge their statutory duties.
It added that it would also look into a report submitted by the KP advocate general regarding actions taken against the delinquent officials in light of the recommendations made by the three-member inquiry committee.
The petitioners have claimed that the government was having two helicopters and if they intended they could have saved lives of the deceased persons.
They also requested directives for the respondents to cancel all mining activities, carried out through auction or otherwise, in the River Swat.
The petitioners said that the failure of Rescue 1122 and provincial authorities to respond timely and effectively caused unnecessary and avoidable loss of lives.
Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2025
No comments yet.