Seven-year-old dies after falling into open manhole in Lodhran

News Desk 

Lodhran: A seven-year-old boy lost his life after falling into an open manhole in Tehsil Kahror Pacca, leading Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to remove the district commissioner and order strict action against responsible officials.

The child had accompanied his father to a nearby market to buy breakfast when the incident occurred in the Dhanot area. “He went with his father and, on their way back, fell into the manhole,” the boy’s uncle told reporters. “He remained trapped for nearly two hours before rescue workers recovered his body.”

Additional Deputy Commissioner Liaqat Ali Gillani said a case has been registered against the contractor and the highway sub-engineer tasked with maintaining the site. “The matter is under investigation, and strict action will be taken,” he stated.

Expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said no innocent life should be lost due to official negligence. She extended her condolences to the grieving family and stressed the need for accountability.

Funeral prayers for the child were offered shortly after the incident.

The Lodhran tragedy comes just days after a similar incident in Karachi, where three-year-old Ibrahim — the only child of his parents — died after falling into an uncovered manhole that had reportedly been left open for days.

In that case, residents pooled money to hire machinery in a desperate rescue attempt, as state authorities allegedly arrived after significant delay. The child’s body was recovered 14 hours later.

Following public outrage, Sindh authorities suspended several officials, including KMC senior director of municipal services Imran Ahmed Rajput and Town Municipal Corporation Gulshan-e-Iqbal assistant executive engineer Rashid Fayyaz.

CM saddened by death of kid in open manhole

Punjab Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, directed the authorities concerned to remove the deputy commissioner concerned from his post while expressing a deep sense of grief and anger over the death of a minor child who fell into an open manhole in Lodhran. 

She offered condolences and extended her heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family. She said, “No innocent life will suffer due to negligence of a government official. We will not let it happen,” she added.