KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken swift action by suspending senior officials after the tragic death of a young child who fell into an uncovered manhole near NIPA.
The suspension includes officers from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town Municipal Corporation (TMC), Water and Sewerage Board, and the office of the Assistant Commissioner Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
The Local Government Department has issued suspension orders for these officials, including:
- Imran Rajput, Senior Director of Municipal Services
- Rashid Fayyaz, Assistant Engineer, TMC Gulshan-e-Iqbal
- Waqar Ahmed, Executive Engineer, Water and Sewerage Corporation
- Amir Ali Shah, Assistant Commissioner, Gulshan-e-Iqbal
- Salman Farsi, Mukhtiar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal
Earlier, CM Murad Ali Shah directed the Chief Secretary of Sindh to establish accountability for the incident that resulted in the death of the three-year-old child. He also instructed Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab to hold a press conference tonight at 10 p.m. to address the issue.
Earlier in the day, the KMC submitted its investigation report to the Secretary of Local Government regarding the incident involving Ibrahim, who fell into an open manhole outside a shopping mall near NIPA Chowrangi. According to the report, municipal officials launched a search operation, and the child’s body was recovered from a nearby nullah in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
The report identified the BRT project’s ongoing construction as a contributing factor, stating that excavation work had severely damaged the area’s drainage system. Temporary covers, approximately two feet in size, had been placed over the manholes, but one side remained open, leading to the tragic fall.
KMC officials clarified that they do not use substandard covers and that the method of covering the gutter was responsible for the mishap. The report also criticized the BRT authorities for not informing the KMC prior to starting excavation work, which was carried out without proper coordination.
The investigation concluded that both the store management and the BRT project team share responsibility for the tragedy. All excavated sites have now been filled under the supervision of officials to prevent further incidents.
