SWABI: Ten members of a family hailing from Mardan were rescued when a boat capsized in the Kabul River in the limits of the Swabi district.
A six-year-old girl from the family is feared drowned as the rescuers made hectic efforts to save her. however, her body would not be found.The family had come from Mardan to enjoy boating in the Kabul River when all of a sudden the ferry carrying around 10 to 12 people capsized.
The incident prompted the police to take action against the boat owners as well as operators and arrested 24 persons including some swimmers following the boat-capsizing incident.Tariqullah Khan, Deputy Commissioner of Swabi, had enforced Section 144 to prevent boating and swimming in the rivers.
The boat operators were arrested for ignoring the safety guidelines and lacking the lifejackets, putting the lives of the visitors at risk. A police official said that the boat operators lacked lifejackets and ignored the safety measures. Overloading was one of the major reasons for such tragedies.
The visitors also asked the district administration to take strict action against the boat owners and operators, who were flouting the safety measures.Meanwhile, Adviser to Chief Minister on Tourism and Culture Zahid Chanzeb appreciated the Rescue 1122 for reaching the site of boat-capsizing and saving the lives of tourists in the Kabul River near Kund Rest House at the junction of Nowshera and Swabi.
He said the body of the drowned child would be recovered soon as the search and rescue operation was taking place.In a statement, he lauded the Rescue 1122 officials as well as the local people for rescuing the people by reaching the spot.
The adviser eulogized the role of Relief and Rescue Department for deploying rescue divers and medical teams at various water tourism spots of the province including Nowshera, Charsadda, Swat, Kalam, Bahrain, Nathiagali, Haripur, Kohat and Hangu on the occasion of Eidul Fitr. He said all institutions including the departments of tourism, relief and local administration were working side by side to give the tourists a sense of security and pleasure during their tours and travels, highlighting the soft image of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The provincial government was making efforts to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a safer place for tourists, he added.
