KARACHI: A six-year-old boy died after falling into an open manhole in the Jamshed Quarters area of Karachi on Wednesday while returning home after selling chips.
The child, identified as Ali, was accompanied by his younger brother Ubaid when the tragedy occurred. Ubaid stood frozen in fear as Ali fell into the uncovered manhole and drowned.
Following the incident, family members and area residents staged a protest by placing the child’s body on Jamshed Road. The demonstration was later called off following negotiations with police.
Residents expressed anger over the tragedy, stating that if action had previously been taken against negligent officials, such incidents could have been avoided.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader and Member of Sindh Assembly Aamir Siddiqui also visited the and criticised the Sindh government for failing to prevent such incidents.
In a similar incident earlier this year, a six-year-old boy named Ibad died after falling into an open manhole in Karachi’s Shah Faisal Colony.
According to police, Ibad was playing near a marriage hall when he fell into an uncovered gutter and drowned. His body was later retrieved from a drain under the Korangi bridge, approximately two kilometres away.
The boy had come from Kala Pul to attend an Aqeeqa ceremony at his uncle’s house. Police said his father worked in Dubai. The victim’s family declined to pursue legal action.
Despite 19 children losing their lives in open manhole incidents in Karachi last year, such tragedies continue to occur.
