Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab delivered an emotional statement on Tuesday, offering a sincere public apology to the family of little Ibrahim. This child tragically passed away near Nipa on Monday night.
Wahab said the loss struck him deeply, especially as a father, and that he personally visited the family in Shah Faisal Colony earlier in the day.
He shared that during the visit, he avoided any blame game and told them, “I apologised to them… I said that I regret this whole incident. As a father, I have no words for the cries of Ibrahim’s mother.”
He expressed admiration for the remarkable patience shown by Ibrahim’s grandfather, saying that despite the unimaginable loss, he spoke with compassion and dignity.
According to Wahab, the grandfather said the child had lived the time Allah gave him and that awareness must be created so such tragedies never happen again.
The mayor stayed with the family for nearly fifty minutes and chose not to speak to the media outside their home to respect their grief. “We all apologize for this incident,” he said, acknowledging the administration’s responsibility.
Wahab also detailed the actions taken after meeting the Sindh Chief Minister. Several officials, including the relevant Water Corporation engineer, a KMC officer, the district administrator, SSP East, and DC East, have been suspended for failing to respond appropriately. He said this accountability was essential to prevent future tragedies.
He further mentioned that the rescue operation was slowed down due to crowds and poor coordination from 1122 and City Wardens. “It was our responsibility to stop those who obstructed rescue work,” he said, calling the entire episode “tragic, painful, and shameful.”
The mayor added that further legal and administrative actions are underway, including action against infrastructure theft and drug addicts who damage public property. He said the police must intensify enforcement and that junk markets involved in such theft will be dealt with firmly.
“Ibrahim’s family has raised some serious concerns, and we will address them,” Wahab said, urging that blame games do nothing to solve public issues. He emphasized that the focus must now be on making sure such incidents never happen again.
He promised continued updates, including developments on the Red Line project and broader safety measures being implemented across Karachi.