By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: The father of an eight-year-old boy who died after falling into an open sewer in Karachi has said the tragedy occurred because the drain had been left uncovered for weeks.
Speaking to the media, Azhar Ali, the father of Delbar, said his son was playing outside their home in Korangi’s Mehran Town when he slipped into the open gutter. “There was no cover on the sewer. It has been missing for at least a month,” he said.
Family members said Delbar was the couple’s only child. They added that uncovered gutters are common in the area and appealed to the authorities to immediately install sewer covers to prevent further loss of life.
“There are many open drains in the neighborhood,” a relative said. “The government must ensure covers are put in place so no other family suffers like this.”
Following the incident, Karachi’s deputy mayor, Salman Abdullah Murad, visited the family’s home to offer condolences.
The child’s death has once again highlighted the dangers posed by open sewers in the city and renewed concerns over municipal negligence and public safety in residential areas.
