When disaster strikes, the true face of leadership is revealed. And in the case of the Swat River tragedy, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s face is one of failure, incompetence, and indifference.
Eleven lives—men, women, and children—have been lost. Tourists from Sialkot, simply enjoying breakfast by the river, were swallowed by a flash flood in Mingora. Videos circulated online, showing people trapped on a shrinking patch of land in the middle of a raging river, helplessly crying for rescue that never came. No boats. No teams. No urgency. Only silence from those who were supposed to protect them.
Where was the government? Where was the disaster management authority that should have responded within minutes, not hours? Why were there no early warnings issued locally, even when the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had already flagged the danger? The flood wasn’t sudden—it was predictable. But KP’s governance system, once again, failed to react.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said what many are now screaming: “This isn’t just incompetence—it’s a shameful failure of duty.” He didn’t stop there. He demanded Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur resign, not just as CM but also as the tourism minister. And he’s right.
When your government fails to safeguard the very people it invites to its tourist spots, what moral ground does it stand on? The Chief Minister can’t just enjoy the perks of power while ignoring the responsibilities that come with it. His silence, his inaction, and his complete lack of presence during this disaster speak louder than any press release.
But the Swat River tragedy is not an isolated case. Every year, KP faces floods. Every year, lives are lost, homes are destroyed, and roads are swept away. And every year, the government promises improvement. Yet, when the skies open up and rivers swell, we see the same tired script: poor planning, delayed response, and politicians blaming the weather instead of themselves.
According to official reports, in just the last 24 hours, flash floods and landslides claimed 11 more lives across the province. Over 50 houses were damaged. And this is just the beginning of the monsoon season.
Where are the flood control systems? Where are the emergency evacuation plans? Why does it always take a tragedy for officials to wake up? The people of KP are not asking for miracles. They are asking for basic safety, timely alerts, and a government that doesn’t vanish when disaster hits.
The reality is bitter: the KP government is not just unprepared—it is unconcerned. From lacking coordination to ignoring advance warnings, from missing rescue efforts to failing to own up to responsibility, this administration is drowning not in water, but in its own negligence.
It’s time for accountability. Not in reports. Not in committee meetings. But in real, political terms. If the Chief Minister truly believes in leadership, he must accept responsibility. Not just for Swat, but for the years of mismanagement across KP.
Because if lives keep getting washed away and no one is held accountable, what kind of governance are we really living under?