No outrage left

If public uproar were an identifier of wrongful deaths in Karachi, you would assume it's a relatively safe city. But Karachi residents are now so casually accustomed to cruelty and administrative negligence that new instances do not even faze them anymore. Such is the reality of deaths caused by uncovered manhole: eight months ago, when 3-year-old Ibrahim fell to his death in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, the entire city raged, new funds were introduced and administrative position holders were sacked. But after at least three more fatalities, the fourth one hasn't received any official attention.

Just recently, 7-year-old Jahangir lost his life after he fell into an open manhole in Moach Goth while playing. His family and neighbours even staged a protest near the Northern Bypass, but it garnered no 'site visits', condolences or media frenzy. Manhole deaths, especially those involving children, have become so tragically common that the city doesn't even share grief.

In early December after Ibrahim's death, Deputy Commissioner East Abrar Ahmed Jaffar was removed from his position for the sake of apparent accountability. It was so performative that just after four months, he was appointed as Municipal Commissioner Karachi. The Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) also announced an additional Rs100,000 funds for every Union Committee to combat missing manhole covers - an initiative which was already announced and forsaken six months prior.

There was pushback on the funds, with people claiming that they would conveniently shift the blame onto UC officials. In Late December, after yet another incident, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab did just that: blaming the relevant UC chairman for his absence. Right and wrong are no longer the point. But these political antics only highlight the absence of morality in Karachi's administration. They trivialise deaths caused by blatant negligence and mismanagement to the point where even the theatrics of accountability are no longer displayed.