KARACHI: A day after the tragic death of an eight-year-old boy who drowned after falling into an uncovered manhole in Karachi’s Mehran Town, Mayor Murtaza Wahab urged the public and political actors not to politicise the incident, saying preliminary reports suggested the manhole cover had been removed and placed aside rather than being entirely missing.
The child, identified as Dilbar, was reportedly playing outside his home with other children when he accidentally fell into the open manhole. Korangi Senior Superintendent of Police Fida Husain Janwari confirmed that the incident occurred during routine play, highlighting once again the dangers posed by poorly secured or tampered infrastructure across the city.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Mayor Wahab said he had been in direct contact with the child’s family and local residents. He stated that, according to the information received so far, the manhole cover had not been permanently absent but had been removed and left on the side. He stressed that while the tragedy was deeply distressing, it should not be framed through a political lens.
The mayor expressed concern over how such incidents quickly become viral content on social media, often escalating into political point-scoring rather than constructive discussion. He maintained that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation had taken steps within its capacity to address infrastructure issues, including providing additional funds to union councils for maintenance.
Referring to earlier measures, Wahab said that the Union Council concerned had already received an additional Rs100,000 allocated specifically for local maintenance needs, including manhole covers and streetlights. He argued that theft and unauthorised removal of covers remained a major challenge that could not be resolved through political blame alone.
The mayor also indirectly responded to criticism from opposition figures, including references to political activists who claimed to have installed missing manhole covers on major roads such as II Chundrigar Road, only for them to go missing again later. He questioned whether responsibility for stolen covers could reasonably be placed on the city administration alone, urging a focus on the root causes of the problem.
According to data shared by the Edhi Foundation, Karachi witnessed at least 27 deaths in 2025 due to people falling into open manholes and drains. Alarmingly, eight of the victims were children, underscoring the severe risk posed to vulnerable residents, particularly in densely populated and low-income neighbourhoods.
Earlier this month, another tragic incident claimed the life of three-year-old Ibrahim, who fell into an open manhole in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. His body was recovered more than 12 hours after the incident, sparking widespread outrage. In response, several political parties staged protests, demanding accountability and calling for the mayor’s resignation. Legal petitions were also filed seeking action against civic authorities.
Following public pressure, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation announced an increase in funding for 246 union committees, earmarking resources exclusively for the maintenance of manhole covers and streetlights. Despite these steps, recurring incidents continue to raise serious concerns about urban safety, governance, and enforcement.
The latest tragedy has once again highlighted the urgent need for stronger monitoring, theft prevention, and community cooperation to prevent further loss of life in the city.
