According to rescue sources, the deceased’s body was found in a drain near the Federal Urdu University’s Gulshan Campus, close to Karachi University.
The incident, which occurred while the boy's father was parking their motorcycle, immediately sparked unrest and intense protests against the local authorities for their widespread negligence in failing to cover manholes across the city.
The recovery of Ibrahim's body, the family's only son, has intensified public outrage and renewed calls for the Sindh government and municipal agencies to address the pervasive issue of open manholes, which continue to claim lives in Karachi. The incident underscores a systemic failure of civic management that remains a fatal threat to citizens.
A family outing turned into a devastating tragedy near the Nipa Bridge in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Sunday night when three-year-old Ibrahim fell into an uncovered manhole. Even after 12 hours after the incident, authorities were failed locate the child.
Despite an intense, multi-hour search operation, the child has not yet been found, sparking grief, protests, and anger over official negligence.
The incident occurred near a shopping mall as Ibrahim, his family's only son, reportedly slipped away from his father, who was parking their motorcycle adjacent to the open sewer. The boy's fall was witnessed by his father.
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Earlier this Morning, rescue teams rushed to the scene but failed to retrieve the boy. Over 12 hours after the incident, search efforts were still underway. Rescue officials noted significant difficulties, including the absence of machinery and officials from relevant departments like the Water and Sewerage Corporation and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).
Frustrated parents and local residents protested the local administration's failure to cover manholes, leading to road blockages and emotional scenes.
Parents Plead for Immediate Help
Ibrahim’s parents made an urgent public appeal to authorities, including the Mayor of Karachi, for immediate assistance.
The mother expressed distress, stating they have no information on the child’s condition or whereabouts. She highlighted a frustrating departmental deadlock: “KMC officials say the Water Board is responsible, while the Water Board says KMC will handle it.” She also noted that even the lights at the incident site were turned off.
Further compounding the despair, the child’s father revealed that no senior official had contacted them and they had to rent the necessary digging machinery themselves because the administration and government departments did not provide equipment.
The grandfather, Mahmood-ul-Hassan, expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of rescue efforts and demanded more resources be deployed immediately.
Sources confirmed that after the initial search was reportedly halted late at night due to lack of machinery, local people arranged heavy equipment, and excavation is now being carried out using the community-sourced machinery.
