Widespread outrage and sorrow erupted on Friday following the tragic drowning of at least seven members of a Sialkot family, including women and children, in the Swat River. Videos shared online depicted the group stranded on a small island amidst surging floodwaters, with no timely rescue intervention.
According to Rescue 1122, an 18-member family was having breakfast near the riverbank in the Mingora area when a sudden rush of water, triggered by heavy upstream rains, swept them away around 8 am. Reports indicate that only three individuals were rescued, while efforts to recover the remaining victims are ongoing.
Videos circulated on social media showed the group trapped on a rapidly shrinking patch of land in the middle of the ferocious river, with no rescue boats or official presence visible for extended periods. Onlookers filmed as the family gradually succumbed to the powerful current.
Citizens, including prominent media personalities and politicians, took to social media to vociferously criticize the significant delay in launching a rescue operation.
One X user lamented that no action was taken by the district administration, writing, “An entire family was waiting for rescue, but no agency came in time. The silence was deadlier than the flood.”
Journalist Rizwan Ghilzai similarly expressed frustration: “They waited for rescue, but no department came.”
Another netizen shared the collective despair: “They kept waiting for rescue, but no one came… Eventually, they were swept away in front of everyone.”
Khadim Ali Khan Yousafzai, Central Information Secretary of the PML-N Youth Wing, condemned the government’s inaction, stating, “This is not only a tragic tragedy, but also exposes the weaknesses of our response system.”
Former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan demanded accountability from the district administration, asserting, “The incompetent administration has also turned tourism into a horror. Those who chanted the slogan of ‘tourism’ instead of ‘terrorism’ have turned tourism into terrorism through their incompetence.” He called for First Information Reports (FIRs) to be registered against the responsible officials.
Former minister Samar Haroon Bilour questioned why Swat, a well-known tourist destination, lacked essential rescue infrastructure.
Veteran journalist Zahid Gishkori pointed out that the victims were clearly visible for hours, yet the government, local commissioner, and police chief failed to act. He remarked, “The state could have saved these eighteen people today,” while sharing photographs of the stranded group.
Critics highlighted that multiple videos from the scene showed the family stranded for hours without any response. One tweet powerfully conveyed the agony of witnessing death approach “with your own eyes.”
An X user accused the government of failing the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, suggesting that if a similar incident had occurred in Punjab, it would have garnered immediate national attention and official accountability.
High Court Advocate and Pakistan Peoples Party worker Zohaib Hassan issued a plea: “Please don’t go near Swat River for enjoyment.”
