The court informed that further investigations were needed to resolve responsibility for 17 tourist deaths
Residents gather after picnicking tourists were swept away by flash floods in the Swat River in Pakistan’s Swat Valley June 27, 2025. Photo: Reuters/ File
PESHAWAR:
The Peshawar High Court was informed on Thursday that further investigation was needed to resolve responsibility for the Swat flood tragedy.
The court was told that the Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO), who was initially recommended for action, was neither posted in the relevant area nor was responsible for the incident as he had not issued any No Objection Certificate (NOC).
During the hearing, the Special Secretary Local Government told the court that the provincial inspection team’s investigation into the drowning of 17 people in a flood in Swat required further investigations to properly identify those responsible. He said it was also necessary to conduct investigations by the Communications and Works (C&W) and Irrigation Departments as the land on which the hotels were built belonged to the Irrigation Department, while the adjoining road came under the jurisdiction of the C&W Department.
The court directed that the matter be brought before the Chief Secretary Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and that the court be kept informed in writing of further developments.
Chief Justice SM Atiq Shah, who headed a two-member bench along with Justice Ijaz Khan, termed the incident a “huge and heartbreaking tragedy” and noted that family members drowned in front of each other. He said such incidents could happen to anyone and stressed the need for a thorough investigation to address the responsibility of negligence. The Chief Justice advised the authorities to formally approach the Chief Secretary for further investigations and ensure that all relevant departments were included.
The hearing was conducted on petitions filed against the drowning of 17 tourists in River Swat due to floods and the failure to rescue them in time. Before the court appeared Special Secretary Local Government Arshad Ali, Deputy Public Prosecutor Gauharur Rehman Khattak, Assistant Solicitor General Riaz Painda Khail, petitioner Amir Alam’s lawyer Babar Khan Yousafzai, amicus curiae Sikandar Rasheed Advocate and other lawyers.
