A short video clip of Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur is circulating on social media platforms with the claim that he responded very coldly to the recent tragedy in Swat caused by devastating flash flood, which claimed 11 lives.

 

“I’m not going there to give them any tents. Chief Minister Gandapur’s shocking response,” the caption of the widely shared clip reads. The viral video can be seen here.

 

17 members of the same family, residents of Sialkot, were caught by a rapid surge in water flow while picnicking by the riverbank in Swat on Friday morning. As the water flow increased substantially within minutes, several individuals were swept away.

 

The death toll from the incident rose to 11 on Saturday after rescue teams recovered the body of another child, Rescue 1122 has confirmed.

 

Search operations are still ongoing to locate the two individuals who remain missing. Four people were rescued during the initial response Yesterday.

 

Is the CM's statement related to Friday’s tragedy in Swat?

 

The Current investigated the origin and context of the widely shared clip, unearthing that the clip was shared on social media to create an impression that the statement was made in the context of Friday’s tragedy in Swat.

 

On June 26 at 4:40 pm, a day before the incident, Gandapur spoke to the media at Rawalpindi, flanked by Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Omar Ayub Khan and Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz, about measures that the provincial government has taken to counter the menace of floods in KP.

 

 

 

When asked about the government's preparedness for the potential threat of floods in KP due to heavy rainfall, the chief minister said that the government has taken action when any flood had hit in the past.

 

“There is a proper administration and governance system that is always working [to counter the emergency situation in KP]. It is not necessary that I should be sitting there or that I have to give them tent myself," he explained.

 

Conclusion: CM Gandapur’s remark has no connection to Friday’s tragedy in Swat. His statement is being quote-mined and misattributed. For the Urdu version, the fact check can be seen here.