A wave of grief and anger swept Karachi after the tragic death of three-year-old Ibrahim, who fell into an open manhole near NIPA. The heartbreaking incident triggered massive protests and public outrage. In response, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab visited the child’s home and personally apologized to the grieving family, acknowledging administrative negligence behind the tragedy.
Mayor Accepts Responsibility, Suspends Key Officials
During a press conference after meeting Ibrahim’s family, Mayor Murtaza Wahab said he offered an unconditional apology rather than shifting blame. He stated that the administration and the government must accept responsibility for failing to prevent such a horrific incident.
The Mayor informed the family about the high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, where immediate action was ordered. Several officials were suspended, including an engineer from the Water Corporation, a senior KMC director, the Assistant Commissioner, and the Mukhtiar-Kar. He added that the suspension process of SSP East and DC East was also underway.
Mayor Wahab admitted that the initial response from authorities did not meet required standards. He stressed that the government must learn from its mistakes and ensure such incidents never happen again. He declared that a strong precedent is being set to improve safety and accountability across the city.
Manhole Responsibility Debate and Call for Collective Action
Addressing the issue of open manholes, the Mayor stated that Karachi has 245,000 manholes and confirmed that their maintenance falls under Karachi Water Corporation (KWC), a department under his authority. However, he also pointed out that Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), town administrations, and elected local representatives share responsibility for ensuring manholes are properly covered.
He explained that while installing manhole covers is primarily the duty of KWC, “nowhere is it written that KMC or town administrations cannot install covers where needed.” Wahab criticized officials who claim they are unable to act, calling such excuses unacceptable.
The Mayor reminded local representatives that the current administration has increased Union Committee (UC) funding from Rs 0.5 million to Rs 1.2 million, leaving no excuse for negligence. He added that towns have access to millions, even billions, earmarked for civic improvements, and urged them to start delivering results.
Referring to a recent case, Wahab revealed that a truck damaged a manhole cover on 17 November, yet no official reported or repaired it. He emphasized that continuous criticism without action will no longer be tolerated, and every department must fulfill its duties to prevent future tragedies.
