The inquiry committee investigating the recent Swat tragedy has pointed out the daunting negligence and mismanagement by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Tourism and the Culture and Tourism Authority that caused the loss of 13 innocent lives of tourists.

The report highlighted several alarming key points:

• No tourism official was present at the scene on the day of the incident
• No tourism police deployed at the popular tourist spot
• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority failed in hotel licensing and registration
• The tourist helpline 1422 in the Swat district was found to be completely non-functional
• No public awareness regarding the helpline, and no district-level tourism information or facilitation centre was available
• Travel agents were operating without any oversight

One of the most damnig findings relates to the hotel where the affected tourists had been staying. The report reveals that the hotel was built without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and was located dangerously close to the riverbank. No warning signs were installed, and no measures were taken to prevent tourists from approaching the river, which led to the loss of precious lives.

Report submitted following recommendations in the wake of a drastic incident:

• Registering a criminal case against the hotel management
• Implementing a stricter licensing system for hotels and guesthouses across the province
• Permanent deployment of tourism police at major tourist sites
• Establishing facilitation centres
• Strict action against unregistered travel agents

The inquiry further directs that departmental action against responsible officers and officials be completed within 30 days. The Tourism Department has issued formal instructions to concerned officials to implement the recommendations, with a compliance report due within a month.

Additionally, the report calls for the creation of informational centres to ensure tourist safety in the future and urges the government to regulate travel agents operating both within and outside the province to prevent such tragedies from recurring.