In a deeply distressing incident exposing severe administrative negligence in Karachi, Mayor Murtaza Wahab has publicly apologized to the family of three-year-old Ibrahim, who tragically died after falling into an open manhole.
Speaking to the media after offering condolences at the family’s home in Shah Faisal Colony, Mayor Wahab expressed profound remorse. “A tragic incident occurred with little Ibrahim. I am speechless when I think of Ibrahim’s mother’s cries,” he stated. “I apologize to the child’s family and I seek forgiveness from God.”
Mayor Wahab met with Ibrahim’s father, grandfather, and other family members. He shared that the grandfather had requested immediate action to ensure no other family suffers a similar tragedy, promising that the administration would take drastic measures against those responsible.
Major Suspensions and Commitment to Accountability:
The Mayor stressed that the incident demanded more than just routine action, calling the initial suspensions merely the “beginning” of a serious inquiry. Following a meeting with the Chief Minister of Sindh, numerous high-ranking officials across various departments have been suspended in a move meant to set a precedent.
Officials suspended include the relevant engineer from the Sewerage Corporation, a Senior Director from KMC (Karachi Metropolitan Corporation), the District Mukhtiarkar, and the Assistant Commissioner. Action is also being taken against the SSP East and a DSP.
Mayor Wahab admitted that the rescue response at the time of the incident was deeply flawed. He took direct responsibility for the failures, moving “beyond the blame game.” He also pointed to the massive scale of the issue—the city has 245,000 manholes, and the theft of covers, often sold to scrap dealers, remains a rampant problem.
The tragic incident occurred near the Nipa traffic intersection in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. The manhole, which lacked a proper iron cover, was temporarily shielded by a piece of cardboard. When three-year-old Ibrahim stepped onto it while with his parents, the cardboard gave way. After a 15-hour search, the child’s body was recovered one kilometer away in a drain, highlighting a catastrophic failure of municipal safety standards.
