The city’s business community has called for an urgent inspection of all manholes and drainage points after the heartbreaking death of three-year-old Ibrahim, who fell into an open manhole near NIPA Chowrangi earlier this week.**

The Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) and the Businessmen Group (BMG) said Karachi can no longer tolerate such life-threatening civic hazards. They demanded immediate installation of strong, tamper-proof manhole covers across the city to prevent further tragedies.

BMG Chairman Zubair Motiwala and KCCI President Muhammad Rehan Hanif said the incident reflects the alarming decline in Karachi’s safety standards. They expressed solidarity with the grieving family and urged the government to introduce strict reforms so no other child suffers a similar fate.

The business leaders also criticised the slow and poorly coordinated rescue effort. They noted that residents had to arrange machinery on their own as authorities failed to respond in time. Ibrahim’s body was recovered almost a kilometre away after being carried through the drainage system.

According to KCCI and BMG, Karachi witnesses 15 to 20 deaths every year due to open manholes, missing covers and unsafe drainage points. They said this consistent pattern shows years of negligence and the absence of accountability in civic management.

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Raising further concerns, they pointed to major roads including University Road, Bara Board, Yasinabad and Karimabad Underpass, where broken surfaces, unplanned digging, abandoned construction and stagnant water have created dangerous conditions for commuters.

Calling the child’s death a wake-up call, the business community demanded strict action and immediate identification of those responsible.