KARACHI: In a grisly discovery, rescue officials recovered the bodies of four individuals, including two women and a boy, from a manhole in the city’s Mochko area near My Kulachi on Friday. The incident has sparked a major police investigation and top-level political outcry.
According to a rescue department spokesperson, the operation began after a citizen reported spotting a human organ in the sewer. Upon arrival and after retrieving the first body, rescuers unearthed three more. All four severely decomposed bodies, estimated to be around 15 days old, were shifted to a nearby hospital for medico-legal formalities.
Police officials confirmed an active investigation is underway. “The bodies are in a disfigured state, making immediate identification impossible,” a senior police officer said. “Our forensic teams are at the crime scene, which initial reports suggest showed signs of dry blood clots. We are also collecting all available CCTV footage from the surrounding area.”
The District Inspector General (DIG) of South stated that conclusions would be drawn after post-mortem reports are received, emphasizing a coordinated investigation.
The shocking find prompted immediate political reaction. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah ordered a swift and thorough investigation, directing police to “leave no aspect of this crime unturned.” Provincial Interior Minister Ziaullah Lanjar also sought an urgent preliminary report.
This tragedy has cast a harsh spotlight on Karachi’s chronic civic issues. The problem of stolen and open manholes, which the city’s mayor has previously blamed on scrap metal thieves, remains unresolved. Last month, two minors fell into separate open manholes, highlighting a persistent governance failure in Pakistan’s largest metropolis regarding public safety, sanitation, and infrastructure.
Meanwhile New Year celebrations turned violent across Karachi on Thursday night as celebratory aerial firing resulted in at least 17 civilians, including women and children, being wounded by stray bullets.
Rescue services confirmed the casualties. “We have shifted 17 injured individuals from various neighborhoods to Jinnah Hospital and Abbas Shaheed Hospital for treatment,” said an official from Rescue 1122 Karachi.
In response to the illegal firing, Karachi police launched a city-wide crackdown. A police spokesperson stated that 16 individuals had been arrested in connection with aerial firing in areas including Korangi, Liaquatabad, and West Karachi. Furthermore, it was confirmed that nine of the total injured were victims of such firing.
