Swat Tragedy Marks End of PTI’s 12-Year Rule in KPK, Says Attaullah Tarar

Islamabad — Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Saturday declared that the recent tragic drowning of tourists in Swat symbolizes the collapse of the governance system established during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) 12-year rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).

Speaking at a press conference alongside State Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik, Tarar held the PTI government in KPK responsible for the calamity, which has deeply saddened the nation.

Despite advances in rescue technology, the minister criticized the provincial government’s failure to save stranded tourists, including women and children, who were visible and just a few hundred feet from safety but could not be rescued in time.

“This is not just the death of tourists; it is the death of PTI’s governance system,” he said, expressing profound sorrow over the incident.

He highlighted the inadequate rescue response, noting only one attempt was made hours after the incident using a makeshift boat. Tarar questioned the absence of helicopters reportedly used by PTI leaders for personal travel during their tenure.

Instead of accepting responsibility, the provincial government suspended a Deputy Commissioner, Tarar said, emphasizing that real accountability lies with the Chief Minister of KPK, who reportedly refused to provide camps for victims. “When dead bodies were being recovered, the Chief Minister said it was not his job to provide camps. If not this, then what is your job?” he asked.

Tarar also criticized the Chief Minister for neglecting essential duties such as saving lives, maintaining law and order, and improving key institutions like Lady Reading Hospital and local universities. He questioned the CM’s apparent prioritization of political attacks on Islamabad and following directives from Adiala Jail over serving the people of KPK.

The minister sarcastically asked whether the people of KPK had authorized their Chief Minister to operate from a jail-based camp office, likening it to the work-from-home practices seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tarar further condemned the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) for its failure to conduct effective rescue operations despite receiving substantial funding. “If you cannot perform your duties, at least remain silent or shut down the PDMA,” he asserted.

Contrasting the PTI’s poor performance, Tarar praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts during his tenure as Punjab Chief Minister for maximizing rescue resources in tourist hotspots like Murree. He also lauded Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for advancing infrastructure and technology upgrades and conducting proactive anti-encroachment drives to prevent disasters.

He accused the PTI government of focusing on political optics rather than building effective systems, saying, “Your governance would have been praised if you had established a strong rescue network in key tourist areas. Instead, you chose optics over outcomes.”

Addressing recent attempts to scapegoat a Deputy Commissioner for the tragedy, the minister pointed to systemic corruption in KPK, referencing the ongoing NAB investigation into the Kohistan scandal. “The fault lies with the entire government. That is why the whole PTI system deserves suspension, not just a DC,” he said.

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Responding to questions about political unity, Tarar highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s commitment to democratic engagement, citing his recent handshake with the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly as a sign of his vision for national unity.