he tragedy that struck Swat on June 27 has already begun to fade from public memory. For nearly two weeks, the incident dominated social and mainstream media. A heartbreaking video of a tourist family went viral, sparking outrage, grief and debate. AI-generated visuals circulated widely amplified the emotional toll. Public criticism of the provincial government and its institutions was swift and scathing, blaming them for the delayed and inadequate rescue response.

Just weeks later, the public outrage and noise has faded out. But for government and humanitarian organisations, the tragedy has been a wake-up call. The Al-khidmat Foundation has since established an Emergency Response Centre along the banks of the Swat River in Fizagat, near the Mingora Bypass, at the very site where the tragic drowning occurred.

In the aftermath of the incident, the provincial government and civil society organisations have shown renewed zeal. District administrations and line departments across upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Chitral, Dir, Swat and Malakand as well as in the lower riparian districts of Charsadda, Peshawar and Nowshera, and southern districts of Lakki Marwat, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan, are now on high alert, round the clock.

Emergency control rooms have been set up in flood-prone districts to provide real-time updates to officials, journalists and the public. In Swat, district authorities are actively monitoring the situation as monsoon rains continue, directing all departments to remain alert. Assistant commissioners across sub-divisions are inspecting bridges, observing rising river levels and reviewing local safety protocols to ensure timely response.

Updates by the Meteorological Department as well as alerts by the NDMA and the PDMA are being shared with the public through official channels, including the Information Department.

This is the first monsoon season since the Swat tragedy, and the government appears more alert and proactive.

During a recent visit to Swat, Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information and Public Relations Barrister Dr Saif told journalists that several officials held responsible for the tragedy had been suspended from service. Legal action has also been initiated against the concerned officials.

“The provincial government is taking the necessary post-incident measures. We are scaling up the capacity of relevant departments,” said Dr Saif.

A 63-page inquiry report by a provincial inspection team has been submitted to the chief minister, identifying critical lapses and systemic failures.

The report highlights major deficiencies in disaster preparedness and response, particularly in the district administration, Irrigation Department, Local Government and Rescue 1122. The failures include poor coordination among field departments, non-enforcement of early warnings and a delayed rescue response due to insufficient trained staff and equipment. According to the report, alerts issued by the PDMA were not properly implemented on the ground.

The report also notes serious flaws in regulatory oversight, such as illegal construction near waterways, lack of building code enforcement and the failure of hotels to alert tourists to the flood risk. SOPs for public safety during the monsoon season were either missing or not followed.

All departments have been ordered to formulate and implement new protocols and regulations within 30 days. A comprehensive river safety and building regulation policy is also in the works.

An oversight committee led by the chief secretary will convert the recommendations into key performance indicators and monitor monthly progress. River safety modules will be integrated into the next monsoon contingency plan, and capacity-building projects for Rescue 1122 are to be fast-tracked.

Public awareness campaigns have also been launched by the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations and the Relief and Tourism Departments. Monsoon preparedness messages, flood alerts and public service announcements are being broadcast through 10 provincial FM radio stations operating in flood-prone districts.

In a sweeping anti-encroachment operation launched after the tragedy, 127 illegal structures have been sealed, buildings on 682 kanals demolished, and encroachments identified on 1,874 kanals of land. So far, 1,019 kanals have been cleared. Authorities have also demarcated 609 kilometres of riverbed and installed 174 safety barriers.

To bolster preparedness, the government has approved 36 prefabricated rescue stations (Rs 66 million), modern rescue equipment (Rs 739 million), 70 compact rescue stations (Rs 608 million) and a digital monitoring system (Rs 200 million).

The Anti-Corruption Department has launched an inquiry into illegal constructions and questionable NOCs issued along the banks of the Swat River and other waterways across the province. The team will probe how unauthorised structures were raised in restricted river zones in clear violation of the River Protection Act. Another important question to be investigated before the team is who allowed it.

Sources in the department say the inquiry is casting a wide net. Private developers, regulatory bodies and local facilitators are all under scrutiny. The inquiry is part of a broad effort to enforce river safety laws and prevent future tragedies. As monsoon risks grow, the government appears determined to reclaim the rivers and restore public trust.

Khalid Waqas, president of Al-khidmat Foundation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, says, “We operate 17 disaster response centres across the province, where regular rescue drills are held. Training has been completed in Sardaryab and Charsadda. Rescue simulations have been conducted in Peshawar, Swat and Upper and Lower Dir.”

“There are 15,000 volunteers actively engaged in rescue and relief operations, assisting both locals and tourists. While we lack state-level resources, we are doing everything within our means.”

Waqas adds that they have formally requested the provincial government to allocate five kanals of land for the construction of a state-of-the-art disaster response centre, a facility that will serve as a dedicated training hub for volunteers. Some donors, he says, have committed funds to support the project.

The writer is a multimedia producer. He tweets @daudpasaney.