The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has submitted its inquiry report on the tragic NIPA incident, in which three-year-old Ibrahim lost his life, to the Local Government Department.
In its inquiry report, KMC blamed the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) construction on University Road, stating that the excavation for BRT severely damaged drainage infrastructure.
Senior Director Municipal Services Imran Rajput said the Karachi Mayor immediately directed Municipal Services to conduct a full search operation after learning that a three-year-old child had fallen into an open manhole.
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The report claimed that rescue teams later recovered the child’s body from a link drain in Gulshan Town, confirming that water flow carried him almost one kilometer from the accident site.
According to the report, BRT construction caused serious structural damage to the drainage system, and temporary two-foot covers were installed in several locations, leaving parts of the drain exposed and unsafe for the commuters.
The report adds that the tragedy occurred because one manhole near the Red Line project site remained uncovered, and the temporary closure method used there did not meet KMC’s operational standards.
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Officials noted that BRT authorities did not inform KMC before excavation began, creating uncoordinated work conditions that later exposed residents to unnecessary danger following the damaged drainage layout.
Investigators stated that the incident resulted from a combination of negligence by the private store management, which failed to secure the manhole area, and the BRT team, which ignored the structural impacts after excavation.
According to the report, all disturbed portions were subsequently filled under the supervision of relevant officers; however, crucial safety precautions were missing at the exact point where the accident occurred.
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The case involves three-year-old Ibrahim, who stepped out of a department store with his parents on Sunday night and unknowingly stood on a manhole covered only with weak cardboard.
The cardboard failed to support his weight, causing Ibrahim to fall into the manhole and disappear instantly, prompting a large-scale search led by KMC and municipal rescue workers.
After nearly fifteen hours of continuous effort, the child’s body was discovered inside a drain almost one kilometer away, confirming the devastating impact of the damaged local drainage system and the Ibrahim manhole tragedy.
