PHC grills officials over Swat tragedy

Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court, Justice SM Atiq Shah, expressed strong displeasure over the tragic drowning of 14 tourists in the Swat River and the failure to rescue them in time. During the hearing, he summoned commissioners of Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, Bannu, and DI Khan divisions, along with the regional police officers of the concerned districts, to appear in court today.

The two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Shah and Justice Faheem Wali, heard the case. Petitioner's counsel, Advocate Mohammad Nasir Khan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel were present in court.

The petitioner informed the bench that a catastrophic incident occurred in Swat due to a sudden river swell, resulting in 14 fatalities. He said that unchecked encroachments along the Swat River, especially by hotel owners who construct structures dangerously close to the water, are a major contributing factor to such accidents. "The government remains a silent spectator," he added, alleging that influential figures also own large hotels illegally built along the riverbanks.

Justice Shah remarked that the tragedy was a result of administrative negligence and questioned why no preventive measures were taken to ensure the safety of tourists. "Why were rescue operations delayed? Why were safety jackets not delivered by drone? Who is responsible for monitoring river safety?" he asked.

The Advocate General responded that an anti-encroachment operation was underway in Swat, and while an air ambulance was available, it could not be deployed in time. However, Justice Shah pressed further, asking whether the government's prior warnings were enforced effectively.

The Advocate General conceded he could not confirm implementation details but noted that several officials had been suspended. He also informed the court that a related case is pending before the Supreme Court, which has ordered the government to take necessary action.

The bench directed the appearance of commissioners and regional police officers from the five divisions and ordered the provincial government to submit a detailed report on the Swat incident.

Filling station case repatriated

Meanwhile, PHC has returned a case involving the freezing of a Kohistan-based filling station owner's bank account by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to the Accountability Court for reconsideration. The court directed the lower court to decide the matter strictly in accordance with law and merit.

A division bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad and Justice Fazal Subhan heard the appeal. The appellant's counsel, Advocate Muhammad Farooq Malik, informed the court that his client, Muhammad Saleem, owns a filling station located on the busy Karakoram Highway in Komela, Kohistan, operating on a lease agreement. He explained that the station serves both tourist and heavy vehicles.