The grandfather of three-year-old Ibrahim has rejected claims made in the media regarding the Nipa Chowrangi manhole incident, stating he never confirmed that Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) recovered the child’s body.
Speaking to reporters, Mahmudul Hassan said he had not issued any formal statement earlier and expressed concern that several comments circulating in the media were wrongly attributed to him without verification.
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He denied claims that he accepted any money in connection with the child’s recovery, stating he was an elderly man who could not be pressured and would never trade his grandson’s life.
Hassan said the family spent the entire night searching the area after the tragic incident, and many residents witnessed their helpless situation as they waited for updates about the missing child.
He explained that people told him a ‘garbage-picking boy’ had recovered the body, and the family initially believed it. However, he later wished to personally meet the boy to understand the events better.
READ: Karachi NIPA incident: Grandfather retracts claim, credits KMC for Ibrahim’s recovery
Hassan said he later learned that the boy had been taken away by police. He clarified that the family did not know which department the actual rescuer belonged to, but witnesses confirmed to his family that the fifteen-year-old Tanveer took Ibrahim out.
He strongly rejected allegations that he accepted money, stating he neither needed money nor cared for such accusations, and only wanted clarity about the tragedy and its responsible parties.
The Nipa Chowrangi manhole incident raised serious questions about civic negligence, and Hassan said citizens must also take responsibility if government institutions fail to perform essential duties.
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He urged people to ensure open manholes are covered if authorities do not act, stating that taking responsibility could prevent further tragedies and protect children across Karachi’s neighborhoods.
Hassan said the private store near the accident site was also responsible, arguing the store owners should have installed a proper manhole cover instead of leaving the area unsafe.
He added that the SP Investigation Central had visited the family, collected details and left, but no other government representative had reached out regarding the tragic incident so far.
