Mayor says CCTV footage from store is being obtained, rescue teams continue efforts
After 15 hours of search, the body of three-year-old Ibrahim, who fell into a manhole near Nipa Chowrangi, was recovered by Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) rescue teams near Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology on Monday. The boy’s body had travelled nearly half a kilometre downstream.The manhole was located directly in front of Karachi’s Chase Up Center — a two-by-two-foot uncovered gutter with no protective cover or barrier for pedestrians.
Ibrahim, son of Nabeel, slipped into the manhole outside a departmental store at around 11pm on Sunday. He had let go of his father’s finger and walked ahead between rows of parked motorcycles when he suddenly disappeared into the open gutter. The family had been shopping when the boy ran ahead after pulling his hand free. The family resides in Shah Faisal Colony. Ibrahim was their only child.
The child’s grandfather, Mehmoodul Hasan, received the body. Ibrahim’s mother reportedly fell unconscious after the incident. Locals and volunteers joined the rescue efforts, expressing frustration at delays caused by the unavailability of machinery and sewerage maps. His father and grandfather searched the entire night and even paid Rs15,000 for private excavation efforts when no authority stepped in to help.
Rescue teams initially began searching for the child but halted operations due to a lack of equipment. Residents later arranged machinery themselves to continue excavation work. It was later discovered that the manhole was about three feet deep and served as the entry point to Gulshan-e-Iqbal’s main 36-inch drainage line. The boy’s body travelled through three internal sewage channels before reaching the Dental Medical Center near Sir Syed University. BRT machinery was only brought in the next morning, nearly 16 hours after the fall, to excavate the main drainage line.
Read: Open manholes jeopardise public safety
The incident prompted protests at Nipa Chowrangi, where residents blocked the road, burned tyres, and halted traffic towards Hassan Square. Some protesters damaged media vans and attempted to stop office-goers, while police diverted traffic to nearby roads.
Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab expressed condolences to the family and said CCTV footage from the store was being obtained. He added that rescue efforts had been ongoing and that the manhole had no cover. Wahab stated that the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) had been instructed to investigate, and action would be taken if any negligence was found.
Read More: Open sewers become death traps in Karachi
Sindh government spokesperson Saadia Javed confirmed an inquiry into the missing manhole cover and said action would be taken against those responsible.
Political leaders, including MQM’s Dr Farooq Sattar and Jamaat-e-Islami’s Hafiz Naeemur-Rehman, criticised the authorities, holding the mayor and Water Board responsible for the incident. They highlighted safety risks to children and residents due to uncovered manholes and drains.
Relatives also criticised the Chase Up administration, saying it earns millions yet has an open gutter at its main gate. Another volunteer said politicians should at least plant their party flags on open manholes so people know they are uncovered.
Additional reporting by Abbas Naqvi.
