Swat River flood inquiry highlights serious lapses

PESHAWAR: The Provincial Inspection Team has submitted a 63-page inquiry report on the recent Swat flood tragedy to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, highlighting serious lapses in preparedness, coordination, and response.

The report exposes systemic failures in handling such emergencies and recommends corrective actions. It identifies several government officials and departments as negligent, urging disciplinary action against those responsible.

Following the report, the Chief Minister has approved disciplinary measures. Departments including the District Administration, Irrigation, Local Government, and Rescue 1122 have been instructed to initiate legal proceedings within 60 days. Additionally, departments identified for systemic shortcomings must implement corrective measures within 30 days, including issuing new protocols and regulatory frameworks.

A comprehensive framework for river safety and building regulations will be prepared within the same timeframe, with new laws to be enforced immediately.

An oversight committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will be formed to ensure the report’s recommendations are implemented.

The committee will convert recommendations into actionable KPIs, submit monthly progress reports to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, and integrate river safety modules into the next monsoon contingency plan. It will also oversee fast-track implementation of measures to enhance Rescue 1122’s capacity. Meanwhile, the Information, Relief, and Tourism Departments will launch large-scale public awareness campaigns across the province.

Key findings from the report reveal that advisories from the PDMA and District Administration were not effectively implemented, while poor coordination among police, revenue, irrigation, rescue, and tourism police exacerbated the situation.

The early warning system was inactive, delaying flood communication. Building regulations and encroachment policies were unclear, and hotel owners failed to inform tourists of hazards. Rescue 1122 faced delays due to inadequate staff and equipment.

The report also highlighted the absence of defined departmental responsibilities for riverbank safety, unclassified risk zones for riverside tourist areas, and weak enforcement of Section 144.

Following the incident, the government launched a province-wide crackdown on riverbank encroachments.

In the past ten days, 127 illegal buildings were sealed, constructions on 682 kanal were demolished, and encroachments on 1,874 kanal were identified, with 1,019 kanal cleared. Additionally, 609 km of riverbed was demarcated, with 174 barriers installed.

The Chief Minister also approved the River Rescue Plan, allocating funds for 36 prefabricated rescue stations (Rs. 66 million), modern rescue equipment (Rs. 739 million), 70 compact rescue stations (Rs. 608 million), and a digital monitoring system (Rs. 200 million). Coordination between Rescue 1122 and district administration has since been improved.