Swat River Tragedy: Report Exposes Severe Government Failures Behind Tourist Deaths

A government probe has uncovered shocking lapses by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) administration that led to the tragic deaths of 12 tourists during a flash flood in the Swat River last month.

According to a fact-finding report by the KP Culture and Tourism Department, there was a total failure of regulatory oversight, rescue preparedness, and basic safety measures. The tragedy occurred on June 27, when a family of 17 from Sialkot was caught off-guard by a sudden surge of water while picnicking near the river in Fizagat.

The report stated that the Tourism Department was “entirely absent from the scene of the tragedy”, and its helpline 1422 went unused—an indicator of poor public awareness and lack of communication infrastructure.

Video footage from that day, which went viral on social media, showed the stranded family screaming for help while stuck on a small island of land. Despite being visible for nearly an hour, no immediate rescue was launched.

The rescue operation continued for days. Tragically, the body of Abdullah, a young child from the family, was only recovered 21 days later in Barikot tehsil.

The incident prompted widespread public outrage and multiple writ petitions filed in the Peshawar High Court, accusing the provincial government of negligence. Chief Justice SM Atique Shah ordered a transparent investigation, which was assigned to the Provincial Inspection Team.

The resulting five-page investigation report has highlighted critical failures:

• The Culture and Tourism Authority (CTA) failed to license and regulate hotels in major tourist areas.

• The Tourism Police only operated in upper Swat, leaving Fizagat and other danger-prone zones unguarded.

• Travel agents operated freely without regulation or safety protocols.

• A private hotel had encroached upon the riverbed, built without a No-Objection Certificate (NOC), and provided direct access to the dangerous riverbank without barriers or warnings.

The report squarely blames the private hotel’s management for gross negligence, stating they failed to warn guests or limit access to the river despite repeated weather alerts.

The committee has recommended filing criminal cases under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against both the hotel owner and lessee for risking guests’ lives.

The probe report offers a range of urgent measures:

• Hotel Licensing: A formal licensing regime for hotels and hospitality businesses in tourist areas.

• Tourism Police Deployment: Extend the presence of tourism police across all Swat tourist zones.

• Travel Agent Regulation: Make it mandatory for travel agents to follow standard safety protocols.

• Monsoon Safety Certificates: Hotels must obtain a seasonal compliance certificate during the monsoon to ensure guest safety.

• Tourist Awareness: Launch media campaigns and set up facilitation centres at major tourist entry points.

• Site Directory: Create and publicize a comprehensive tourist site directory for KP.

This tragedy—and the probe that followed—has exposed the fragile and unsafe conditions surrounding tourism in one of Pakistan’s most visited areas. Without strong reforms and accountability, experts warn, similar incidents may occur again.