PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure over recent deaths of 17 persons due to flooding and summoned divisional commissioners, regional police officers, director general of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and other relevant officers along with seeking a detailed report from provincial government.
A bench consisting of PHC Chief Justice Syed Mohammad Attique Shah and Justice Mohammad Faheem Wali adjourned the proceedings till today (Thursday) with the direction that all the relevant officers should appear in person.
The PHC chief justice expressed annoyance over the Swat incident, while hearing a petition filed against encroachments near riverbeds and alleged failure of authorities concerned to promptly come to the rescue of the drowned tourists.
The petition is filed by Advocate Naeem Ahmad Khattak, seeking directives of court for government to remove all the obstacles and encroachments near rivers. During course of hearing the PHC chief justice remarked that negligence of administration led to loss of precious lives.
PHC also seeks report from KP govt on the incident
The petitioner’s counsel Mohammad Nasir Khan informed the court that the tragic incident occurred in Swat recently, where 13 tourists lost their lives due to flooding in the Swat River.
He claimed that encroachments were rampant in Swat while government acted like a silent spectator. He added that hotel owners had constructed illegal structures, setting up spaces for tourists along the riverbank, which often led to accidents.
Moreover, he said that hotels and other shops had been built along the Swat River, causing frequent accidents.
He alleged that people holding key government positions had also built large hotels along the river.
The bench questioned why measures were not taken to protect tourists and who was responsible for monitoring the rivers. The bench also wondered why drones were not used to provide life jackets to tourists.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general, Shah Faisal Uthmankhel, informed the court that an operation against encroachments in Swat was initiated and an air ambulance was also available.
However, he said, due to time constraints the air ambulance couldn’t be used.
When the PHC chief justice asked who was responsible for monitoring the rivers, the AG stated that government had issued warnings for safety measures. He stated that several officials had been suspended.
The bench then decided to summon divisional commissioners, RPOs, PDMA director general and other officers and also sought report from provincial government regarding the Swat incident.
Meanwhile, the bench summoned relevant officers of National Highway Authority in a petition filed against the deteriorating condition of Indus Highway. The bench observed that the deteriorating condition of the road resulted in loss of precious lives.
It observed that Indus Highway resembled a jungle where motorists had not been following any rules and entering the road from wherever they chose. An official of NHA informed the court that work was ongoing and would be completed soon.
The bench directed him to show through videos what work was actually being done there. The AG requested the court for time, assuring that relevant officials would prepare and submit a detailed report.
The bench adjourned hearing till today (Thursday) and summoned high-ups of NHA and Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority.
Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025