Mayor says CCTV footage is being obtained from store, rescue teams continue efforts
The search for a three-year-old boy who fell into an open sewer near the Nipa flyover on Sunday night entered its 14th hour on Monday, as rescue teams waited for heavy machinery and sewer maps needed to continue extraction work.
The boy, identified as Ibrahim, son of Nabeel, slipped into the open manhole in front of a department store around 11 p.m. The family had gone shopping when the boy ran forward after freeing his hand. “It fell before my eyes, the manhole had no cover and a motorcycle was parked nearby,” said the father. The family resides in Shah Faisal Colony. Ibrahim was his only son.
Read: Open sewers endanger public safety
Rescuers launched a search shortly after the incident, but later halted operations due to a lack of machinery.
They further added that they were still waiting for sewer maps and pipeline designs to continue the operation.
As the delay persisted, residents fixed the machinery on their own and began excavation with the support of the community.
The incident sparked protests at Nipa Chowrangi, where residents blocked the road, burned tires and suspended traffic towards Hassan Square.
Protesters threw stones at media crews and damaged several DSNG vans. Some protesters also attempted to detain office-goers, while police remained passive at the scene. The traffic police diverted the vehicles towards Rashid Minhas Road and Johar Mor.
Read more: Open sewers become death traps in Karachi
Ibrahim’s grandfather, Mehmoodul Hasan, said the boy was the couple’s only child and expressed frustration at the slow response. The boy’s mother was reportedly unconscious after the incident.
On Monday, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, speaking at the KMC Sports Complex, expressed solidarity with the boy’s parents. “I want to offer my condolences and support the parents at this difficult time,” he said, adding that politics should not be played with the incident.
The mayor said CCTV footage was being obtained from the store and rescue teams were continuing their efforts. “The search for the child is still ongoing and we will help the family in every way possible,” he said.
Wahab added that the manhole had no cover and that no previous complaints had been registered. Responding to criticism over the delay in availability of machinery, he said the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) had been directed to investigate and “if any official is found to have been negligent, action will be taken.”
Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed also confirmed an investigation into the missing manhole cover and said: “Action will be taken against whoever is responsible.”
Sindh government spokesperson Saadia Javed said an investigation had been ordered to determine why the manhole cover was missing, adding that action would be taken against those responsible.
Karachi Deputy Mayor Salman Murad said KMC, KWSC and SSWMB staff had been alerted and instructed to locate the boy as soon as possible.
MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar, who visited the site, accused the Karachi mayor of negligence and said children, women, elderly and youth risk being crushed by vehicles or drowning in drains.
He also criticized the provincial government for failing young people in exams and denying them employment while they lived in luxury. talking to Express NewsHe warned that public anger is boiling and could erupt at any moment. Sattar pointed out that Chhipa and Edhi volunteers were leading the rescue efforts and sarcastically suggested that the Water Corporation hand over their responsibilities to them.
Hafiz Naeemur-Rehman, emir of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, also condemned the authorities and blamed the Water Board and the mayor of Karachi for the boy’s death. He said the administration had ignored the needs of the city’s 35 million residents and called on authorities to prevent such incidents.
