By Prof. Dr. Arshad Munir

On Wednesday evening (Jan 28, 2026), a 24-year-old woman and her 9- to 10-month-old baby fell into an uncovered sewer manhole/gutter in the Bhatti Gate, near Data Darbar area of Lahore. They had reportedly just gotten off a rickshaw when the baby slipped into the uncovered hole, and the mother jumped in trying to save her. Rescue 1122 teams began search operations immediately. The woman’s body was found early the next day at a disposal station on Outfall Road. Later, the infant’s body was recovered from a water channel near Saggian, about 5 km from the scene.

This incident has sparked broader discussions about ongoing public safety hazards in urban Pakistan — especially uncovered manholes, poor site supervision, and lack of enforcement of safety standards — pushing officials, political parties, and civil society to demand stronger legal and practical safeguards to prevent similar tragedies. It also highlights ongoing public safety concerns around uncovered manholes and sewer works in crowded urban areas, where inadequate safety measures have previously led to fatal accidents.

Early social media sharing of videos and eyewitness accounts played a big role in drawing public attention and outrage to the tragedy after initial confusion and some officials even called the reports “fake news.” Many ordinary citizens expressed anger and frustration on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, criticizing authorities for poor safety measures and demanding justice for the victims.

Political leaders have strongly condemned the incident, calling it criminal negligence rather than a simple accident and demanded that the government register a murder case against those responsible, saying two lives were lost due to carelessness and urging stricter punishment. A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court seeking a criminal case and a judicial commission to investigate the tragedy and hold high-level officials accountable for misinformation and negligence.

There are several past incidents in Pakistan involving open manholes, uncovered drains, and similar safety hazards including a three-year-old boy (Ibrahim) died falling into an open manhole near the NIPA flyover in Karachi. But the action & reaction of the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was remarkable over the current incident. She lashed out at the top administration of Lahore for its negligence. This is for the first time in the tenure of Maryam Nawaz that she grilled the top bureaucracy in front of the camera. “This is criminal negligence… I will not spare those involved in this criminal act,” she declared.

Maryam Nawaz condemned the incident as gross negligence and a criminal act, saying it was not just an accident but akin to murder due to the failure of officials to secure the site. She said the loss of innocent life in the heart of Lahore brought “shame” and emphasized that every life in Punjab is precious and must be protected. She ordered the arrest and dismissal of multiple officials responsible for the construction and safety oversight at the site, including project managers, safety in-charge, and a WASA official — stressing that negligent or dishonest officers have no place in office.

Maryam Nawaz also held higher officials and departments (like LDA, WASA, local commissioner, and district administration) accountable for lack of supervision and failure to ensure safety. The chief minister directed that compensation (around Rs10 million) be secured from the contractor for the bereaved family. She also instructed that the government assist the husband/family, including providing livelihood support.

She mandated that all open manholes and excavations across Punjab be covered, properly lit, and secured immediately to prevent similar tragedies. Wherever Safe City or CCTV cameras were removed due to construction, she ordered temporary cameras be installed.

Maryam Nawaz criticized early administrative responses that produced conflicting or inaccurate information and attempted to downplay or shift blame — including cases where officials initially questioned the nature of the incident. She promised that justice would be pursued fully and that she would not rest until the responsible parties were held to account.

Contradictory Reports Surround Lahore Open Manhole Incident Involving Mother and Child

In summary, the chief minister’s reaction combined emotional condemnation, administrative and legal action against officials, financial support for the victims’ family, and directives to prevent future safety lapses. These actions not only created satisfaction among the people, but also created the impression that if the rulers care about the people, the state truly becomes like a mother.