Tragic Death: Young Boy Dies After Falling into Open Manhole in Karachi

A six-year-old boy lost his life in Karachi’s Jamshed Quarters area on Wednesday after tragically falling into an exposed manhole while heading home.

The young boy, identified as Ali, was returning after selling chips when he fell into the uncovered manhole and tragically drowned. His younger brother, Ubaid, who was accompanying him, could only watch in distress, unable to offer assistance.

In response to the heartbreaking incident, family members and local residents organized a demonstration, placing the child’s body on Jamshed Road. The protest concluded following negotiations between police and the demonstrators.

Residents voiced their outrage over the unfortunate event, asserting that if accountability measures had been implemented against negligent authorities in the past, such incidents could have potentially been prevented.

Aamir Siddiqui, a prominent leader from Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and a Member of the Sindh Assembly, visited the site and expressed strong criticism towards the Sindh government for their alleged failure in preventing these recurring incidents.

An incident of a similar nature occurred earlier this year, where a six-year-old boy named Ibad passed away after falling into an open manhole in Karachi’s Shah Faisal Colony.

Law enforcement reported that Ibad was playing in close proximity to a wedding venue when he fell into an unguarded drain and drowned. His body was later discovered in a drain beneath the Korangi bridge, situated approximately two kilometers away.

The young boy had traveled from Kala Pul to attend an Aqeeqa ceremony at his uncle’s residence. Authorities indicated that his father was employed in Dubai. The bereaved family chose not to pursue any legal recourse.

Despite the alarming statistic of 19 children having tragically died in similar open manhole incidents in Karachi the previous year, these devastating events continue to occur, highlighting a persistent safety issue.