Another child lost to open manhole in Karachi's Korangi area

Grief and anger filled the air at the funeral after an eight-year-old child lost his life after falling into an uncovered manhole in the Korangi Industrial Area. The tragedy has once again highlighted the deadly consequences of negligence in the city’s infrastructure.

The child’s father, Dilbar Ali, spoke to the media with tears in his eyes, struggling to come to terms with the loss of his only son. “Dilbar Ali was my only son,” he said. “A month ago, the sewer covers were removed for cleaning. The work was done, but no one put the cover back.”

Holding back sobs, the father shared his shattered dreams. “Next month, I was supposed to get my child admitted to school. How did I know that my son would leave us like this?” he asked, his voice breaking.

The incident has sparked public outrage, prompting senior city officials to visit the bereaved family. Karachi Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad reached the hospital to offer condolences and assured the family that those responsible would be held accountable.

“I have not come here to do politics, but to express my sympathy,” Murad said. He added that he had contacted the town chairman, who was currently in Hyderabad. According to the deputy mayor, the UC chairman had been provided with 10 sewer covers by the Water Corporation 10 days earlier, and each union council had also been given Rs 100,000 for sewer covers.

Murad emphasized that responsibility would be fixed regardless of whether it lay with a government official or an elected representative. “This town does not belong to the PPP, but the deceased child is our son,” he said. “We will not do politics on dead bodies. We will punish those responsible.”

He stated that the town chairman and UC chairman were not affiliated with the PPP, but stressed that political affiliation would not influence accountability. “The way action was taken in the Nipah incident, the same will be done in this case as well,” he assured.

As Karachi mourns another young life lost to an open sewer, the grieving family and residents are left asking the same painful question: how many more children must die before negligence is replaced with responsibility?