By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: Amid growing concern over rising manhole deaths in Karachi, Mayor Murtaza Wahab urged on Tuesday that the issue of “open manholes” should not be politicized. This year, more than two dozen people, mostly children, have died after falling into uncovered manholes, highlighting the city government’s struggle to secure all sewer openings.
The mayor’s remarks came a day after an eight-year-old boy died after falling into an open sewer in Korangi’s Mehran Town. Speaking at Kidney Hill Park, Wahab, a senior PPP leader, said: “If someone has removed a gutter’s cover and placed it on the side, this issue should not be politicized.” He added that he had been in touch with the child’s family. The boy, Dilbar, fell into the sewer on Monday.
Citing initial investigation reports, Wahab said the cover had been removed and placed aside. He also noted that Rs100,000 had been issued to the concerned union council on 9–10 December to address such issues. Without naming names, Wahab criticized political rivals who claimed to have installed missing covers, saying their statements contradicted reality.
The mayor also shifted some responsibility onto union council chairmen, noting that in North Nazimabad, the UC head had left for Lahore, leaving unclear who authorized work in his absence. He said contractors who fail to deliver will be blacklisted, stressing that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation cannot be blackmailed. He added that progress on several projects would be visible next year.
