A man had parked his motorcycle near a departmental store by Gulshan-e-Iqbal’s NIPA flyover at around 10pm on Sunday night. As the family exited the store, he began unlocking the bike. In those brief moments, his three-year-old son, Ibrahim, slipped from his hand, ran ahead, and fell into an open manhole.
How did people respond?
Residents immediately called the local authorities, but no official help arrived. With time slipping away, locals arranged a crane on their own — paying for the vehicle and its diesel — and began digging.
Rescue volunteers from Edhi and Chhipa assisted, but lacking the technical expertise required for such an operation, they were unable to locate the child.
‘Rescue delayed’
By midnight, anger in the neighbourhood grew, and residents blocked the road to and from NIPA in protest.
Despite repeated calls for assistance, administrative machinery only arrived the next morning, nearly 12 hours later, and began operations around 10am. Ibrahim’s body was eventually recovered about 1.5 kilometres downstream in the drainage channel 14 hours later.
Why was the manhole open?
The manhole sits on a stormwater drain that now functions as a sewage drain, carrying wastewater from Gulistan-e-Jauhar to Gulshan-e-Iqbal before flowing into the Lyari River.
Residents said the manhole had been without a cover for several days.
Who was the child?
Ibrahim was the only child of his parents, his grandfather said. His funeral prayers were offered after Isha. The family belongs ot Shah Faisal No 5. Lawmakers and politicians also attended his funeral prayers.
What did lawmakers say?
The incident triggered a heated debate in the Sindh Assembly. Jamaat-e-Islami MPA Muhammad Farooq said Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab should resign, holding both the city administration and the MQM-P responsible for the collapse of civic services.
MQM-P MPA Taha Ahmed said the government repeatedly issues statements promising action, “but who will identify the responsible officials?”
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon extended condolences and termed the incident “criminal negligence”.
What did the mayor say?
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab ordered an inquiry and expressed sympathy with the family. “I want to offer my condolences and stand with the parents at this difficult time,” he said, adding that politics was being played over the tragedy.
