NAROWAL – Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday held the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) responsible for the recent Swat tragedy, demanding that a First Information Report (FIR) be registered against those he accused of “incompetence and criminal negligence.”
Speaking to the media, Iqbal condemned the lack of timely emergency response that resulted in the deaths of 18 members of a single family, who had repeatedly called for help as floodwaters rose. “One by one, children and women were swept away, yet no assistance came,” he stated emotionally.
The minister sharply criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s emergency preparedness, saying there were no adequate rescue or relief facilities in place to handle such disasters. He claimed that the absence of a functional response system directly contributed to the tragic loss of life.
Reiterating his demand for accountability, Iqbal declared, “These 18 lives were lost due to sheer negligence. Those responsible must be held accountable and brought to justice.” He further accused PTI of misgovernance during its 15-year rule in KP, alleging that the party “did nothing but loot and plunder.”
The remarks come amid rising public outrage over the handling of the Swat incident, as calls grow louder for structural reforms and accountability in disaster management and governance across the province.
