History of Death River
The famous tourism spot of Pakistan, Swat River [also known as Death River] had again engulfed lives. The Swat River, located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, has been known to cause devastating floods and claim lives due to various factors such as:
1. Monsoon rains
2. Glacier melting
3. Landslides
4. Flash flooding
These events can be deadly, especially in areas with poor infrastructure and emergency preparedness.
The 87-Minute Agony: Stranded, Filmed, Forgotten
At 9:45 AM on June 27, 2025, 14 members of a Sialkot family stood trapped on a shrinking sandbar in the Swat River, screaming for help as floodwater surged. For 87 minutes, they clung to each other while bystanders filmed their desperation. No ropes, boats, or helicopters arrived. By 10:36 AM, all had been swept away—13 dead, 1 missing. Rescue teams finally appeared after the last victim disappeared beneath the brown torrent.
This catastrophe unfolded despite:
Prior Warnings:
KP’s Disaster Management Authority issued flood alerts on June 25
Section 144:
A ban on riverbank access was active since June 2, with 45 violations already recorded.
CCTV Evidence:
Mingora hotel cameras captured the family entering the dry riverbed at 9:37 AM, yet no patrols intervened. Everything seems smooth at that time.
Garbage Trucks for the Dead: A Nation’s Shame
On June 28, recovered bodies were transported to Punjab in open dumpers typically used for municipal waste prompting Punjab Minister Azma Bukhari’s tearful condemnation:
They used garbage trucks… If you couldn’t save them, at least deliver them home with honor.
The indignity exposed systemic contempt:
Rescue Failures:
The teams took 19 minutes to respond despite being 3km away, lacking boats and ropes.
Botched Communications:
Rescue 1122 dispatched an ambulance instead of flood units due to operator error.
Political Blame-Gaming:
KP officials suspended 6 staff but faced accusations of murderous governance from Senator Mushtaq Ahmed.
Roots of the Disaster: Mining, Climate, and Neglect
Illegal Mining’s Lethal Legacy
Unregulated gravel extraction altered the Swat River’s flow, creating deadly pits and unstable sandbars. The very mound the family stood on was a byproduct of quarrying machinery, a hazard ignored for years until the crackdown post-tragedy.
Climate Chaos Ignored
Glacial melt and monsoon surges intensified by global warming drowned Swat. Despite Dushanbe Conference warnings in May 2025 about glacial lakes, suspected increased death rates due to climate change but Pakistan’s disaster systems stayed inert.
Tourism Over Safety
Tourism in Pakistan is becoming a question with each passing day as violation of safety codes is very visible. 72,000 stranded tourists evacuated in June alone, overwhelming infrastructure. Hotels like Relax Hotel operated illegally within 200 feet of the riverbank, violating safety codes. Settlements near rivers are more susceptible to flooding, which can death rate in peak seasons of moon soon/flood, loss of life, property damage, and displacement.
Voices from the Rubble
- Shiraz Khan (Eyewitness):
They screamed for two hours. No one came. The water swallowed them like toys.
- Bilal Faizi (Rescue 1122 Spokesperson):
Sharp rocks tore our boats. No anchor points… we were helpless.
Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah:
A 45-minute window to save them was lost. This was not nature, it was negligence.
The Unlearned Lessons: 2025’s Tourist Bloodline [Death Rate]
Reforms or Theater? The Aftermath
Encroachment Crackdowns:
KP demolished riverside hotels, sparking protests from owners claiming bias.
Helicopter Myth:
Officials cited bad weather for no air rescue, but experts noted: 95% of crisis management is prepared.
Accountability Theater:
Suspended officials include Assistant Commissioners of Babuzai and Khwazakhela, but no minister resigned.
CM Gandapur’s Shocking Response: Not My Responsibility
While the nation grieved, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s top leadership took a noticeably cold step back. During a press briefing on June 28, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was asked to comment on the death of 14 people swept away by the river. His words stunned many.
While tragic, river safety enforcement is a local administration duty. My focus is provincial policy Sehat Cards, solar projects, and infrastructure. I cannot micromanage every tourist’s choice.
There it was. In one short breath, the province’s top official distanced himself from the tragic death of of tourists, pointing to local governance as the fall guy. And yet, this statement arrived just days after he proudly launched a solar panel distribution scheme for over 130,000 families. In front of the cameras, he smiled. Speeches were made. Progress was promised. But not a single announcement mentioned river safety not in Swat, not in Dir, not anywhere tourists go to breathe cool air and return to body bags.
Activists didn’t miss the irony. Gandapur’s Billion Tree Plus project had made international headlines for green efforts. But the same government stood by while more than 400 illegal hotels mushroomed along vulnerable riverbanks in Swat cutting down trees, destroying soil stability, and inviting floods, creating vulnerabilities for death. Locals say complaints were ignored. Permits? Who’s checking.
Worse still, while the Chief Minister offered political forgiveness to his opponents in the weeks prior, no words were spoken for the families of those drowned. No visit to their homes. No gesture of shared sorrow. Trees are important. Solar power is good, said one resident of Mingora. But lives should matter more.
A Test of National Will:
As 14 people begged for help, dozens filmed. No rescue ropes. No official. No neighbor’s hand. This wasn’t just a system failure it was a mirror held up to all of us. While officials ignored warnings and emergency teams arrived late, society too stood still. Our silence became part of the flood. It’s time for more than hashtags and demolitions. Pakistan needs emergency reform, real funding, and accountability from those in power and from those who watch.
“We plant trees while rivers bleed. We are the disaster.” Graffiti outside Saidu Sharif Morgue
Conclusion: When Rivers Weep
The Swat tragedy is no natural disaster. It is a curated catastrophe forged by illegal mining, bureaucratic apathy, and the commodification of tourism. As Defense Minister Khawaja Asif lamented: The death of the children before their parents’ eyes is a total breakdown. Until Pakistan prioritizes lives over revenue, its rivers will keep turning red.
“They came for breakfast. They left in dumpers.” Headline, The Independent
By PNP Intern: Mohammad Umair Nasim
This post has been submitted by one of our interns. PNP Internship Program is an exciting career opportunity for Pakistani university students to get hands-on valuable experience required in national and international job market.
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