Tourists entered Swat River via alternate route despite warning, says commissioner

• Working on early warning system for floods: commissioner.
• Abid Wazir says water level reached 77,782 cusecs in river.
• Report reveals over 200 encroachments in Malakand Division.

PESHAWAR: As the search for a youth who, along with 17 others, was swept away in the Swat River entered its 11th day on Monday, it emerged that the tourists had entered the river via an alternate route despite being denied permission by the hotel's guard.

"All relevant agencies were alerted in view of the threat of floods," said Malakand Division Commissioner Abid Wazir in his written report before the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's inquiry committee over the June 27 incident where 17 people belonging to two different families from Sialkot and Mardan were swept away by a sudden surge in the river while picnicking near the bank.

Harrowing videos circulated on social media showed the family stranded on a rapidly shrinking island of land, calling for help for nearly an hour with no immediate rescue in sight. So far, 12 bodies have been recovered, four were rescued, and one remains missing.

Expanding on the events that unfolded on the unfortunate day, the commissioner said that the water level in the Swat River reached 77,782 cusecs due to heavy rains.

"Rescue [service] was called at 9:45am when the water level in the river rose and they reached the scene of the incident 20 minutes later at 10:05am," he said when asked about what happened on June 27.

Furthermore, the inquiry committee raised questions regarding what could be done to promote tourism and avoid such incidents in the future.

"Tourism is a separate sector, it is not the responsibility of the tehsil municipal administration. Tourism in Swat should be looked after by the Upper Swat Development Authority," the official remarked.

When asked about what steps had been taken to check the flooding in rivers and streams, Wazir said that they were working on an early warning system and had reached out to Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in this regard.

'Over 200 encroachments'

Meanwhile, the inquiry report received by the KP government on anti-encroachment drive in the Malakand Division has revealed that there are 203 illegal constructions spanning across 501 kanals in six districts — of which 78 kanals had been cleared.

Noting that action against encroachments had been carried out in Swat, Bajur, Buner and Dir, the report accentuates that 61 buildings had been sealed across six districts in Malakand Division between June 30 and July 4.

One building was sealed in Swat and illegal constructions were demolished, covering an area of more than 20 kanals.

"An area of ​​more than 8 kilometres has been demarcated in Swat," it said, adding that in total an area of ​​more than 115 kilometres had been demarcated and fences were erected at 54 places.

Furthermore, 15 buildings were sealed in Bajur, nine in Buner, 22 in Lower Dir and 10 in Upper Dir coupled with four other buildings in Malakand District.

Total encroachments on an area of ​​more than 75 kanals demolished, the report said, adding that in total, encroachments on an area of ​​more than 162 kanals had been eliminated so far.

Speaking to Geo News, Commissioner Wazir said that indiscriminate action was being carried out against encroachments in the Malakand Division as per the directions of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur who has issued directives against giving concessions to anyone in this regard.