A small shoe is visible in the mud of the blocked gutter discovered in which eight-year-old Dilbar Ali died on Monday. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
Uncovered manhole covers have turned into death traps for unsuspecting Karachiites, especially children, amid what can only be described as criminal apathy on the part of civic authorities.
Officials routinely issue statements of sympathy or even publicly apologize for media consumption, only to retreat into inaction and wait for another tragedy to occur.
A few days ago, a toddler lost his life after being swallowed by an open manhole in front of his helpless mother, who watched in horror as her three-year-old was swept away by dirty, gushing water.
As haunting images of the distraught mother continue to torment Karachiites, another young life has since been washed away down a drain, highlighting the city’s deadly neglect.
Eight-year-old Dilbar Ali lost his life after falling into an uncovered manhole in Sector 6-G of Mehran town on Monday, taking the total number of deaths caused by open manholes to 27 so far this year, according to unofficial figures.
Despite repeated promises of corrective measures, there is still no visible action by civil authorities to address the danger. An atmosphere of anger and sorrow reigns in the town of Mehran, where residents mourn yet another life lost due to the negligence of the authorities.
Muhammad Waheed, a social activist from Mehran town, said the area, which falls under the jurisdiction of Shah Faisal town, is part of the Korangi industrial zone.
The locality, home to a large working-class population, is plagued by dilapidated streets and a general lack of manhole covers.
Dilber Ali’s uncle managed to pull him out of the manhole, but the child had already succumbed to the injuries caused by the fall. News of the incident spread quickly and a large crowd gathered at the scene, expressing their deep grief and frustration at the avoidable death.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, local political and municipal leaders, including Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, Shah Faisal City Chairman Gohar Khattak, and representatives of various political parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami, PTI and PPP, visited the area. They issued statements of condolence, but their words were quickly overshadowed by a heated political blame game. Each representative pointed the finger at the others, but no one took responsibility for this fatal negligence.
The open manhole at the site of Dilbar Ali’s death remains uncovered.
Azhar Ali, the victim’s grieving father, lamented that even after such a tragic incident, no steps were taken to secure the open manhole that had claimed his child’s life.
The child’s maternal grandfather, Shaukat Ali, was equally distraught, questioning the lack of basic infrastructure in the city. “We pay taxes to the government, but we can’t even install manhole covers?”
Dilbar Ali’s uncle, Sardar Ali, a worker by profession, also called on the authorities not to politicize this tragedy. “We are workers and no one came to help us. Our nephew is gone and the family is grieving. Please don’t make this a political issue,” he urged.
Chaudhry Shahid Hussain, spokesperson for Chhipa Foundation, revealed that 27 people have already died this year due to falling into manholes and open sewers, including 14 deaths in manholes and 13 in open sewers. The victims included 21 adults and six children.
