Another child falls into manhole in Karachi, rescued in time

Even the tragic death of a toddler in an open sewer in NIPA failed to jolt civic authorities out of their apathy, as little to no action has been taken to prevent such fatal incidents in the future.

On Thursday, another three-year-old fell into an uncovered manhole in Baldia Town’s Sector 12-D, once again laying bare the negligence of the relevant civic bodies. However, local residents rushed to her aid and managed to pull her out alive. She sustained minor injuries.

A video clip of the incident circulating on social media shows the child - identified by residents as three-year-old Amara - after being rescued from the lidless manhole. According to residents, although the viral footage triggered civic officials to place a cover on the manhole involved in the incident, several others in the neighbourhood remain dangerously exposed. “Are they waiting for another child to fall in?” one resident asked, expressing frustration over the officials’ apathetic attitude.

Residents reported that open manholes are widespread in Sector 12-D of Baldia Town. While a few are properly covered, many remain without lids, posing a constant threat to pedestrians, especially children. They pointed out that this is not the first such incident - several children have previously fallen into manholes and had to be rescued by residents themselves.

Women from the area also raised broader concerns, stating that they are already forced to rely on private water tankers due to the absence of tap water, and depend on gas cylinders because of inconsistent gas supply. “We have no choice when it comes to sewage,” one woman said, adding that overflowing sewage has flooded the streets and is now beginning to seep into homes.

Residents have appealed to the Mayor Murtaza Wahab to intervene and direct the relevant departments to ensure that all open manholes in Sector 12-D are covered before another preventable tragedy occurs.

Earlier, a three-year-old boy, Ibrahim, lost his life after falling into a manhole near NIPA Chowrangi in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi. The incident occurred Sunday night around 10:30pm. Eyewitnesses said Ibrahim broke free from his parents and ran toward the manhole, temporarily covered with cardboard, which gave way beneath him. His body was recovered early Monday morning after a desperate 14-hour search.

Rescue 1122 and Edhi Marine Services responded immediately, and local volunteers also took part in the search. Heavy machinery was arranged, and donations collected to assist in the operation, as official authorities were reportedly absent for several hours. Despite widespread media coverage, municipal officials faced criticism for their delayed response.