Five children have lost their lives in Sindh’s Ghotki district after allegedly drinking water from an empty pesticide bottle, drawing attention to the risks linked to the unsafe disposal of agricultural chemicals in rural communities.
The tragic incident took place in Arif Chajjar village in the rural town of Sarhad. The children reportedly found an empty pesticide container on their way home from school and used it to drink water.
Reports said Waqar Ahmed, 10, and Ayaz Ahmed, 9, fell ill and died on the first day. Two other children, seven year old Allaudin and five year old Waseem, died on Tuesday. Ayaz, Allaudin, and Waseem were brothers.
The fifth child, four year old Muhammad Khan, passed away on Thursday while undergoing treatment at a local hospital.
Family members believe that the leftover pesticide in the bottle led to the deaths. They also said that health authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
Residents voiced concern over the absence of proper awareness and regulations for the safe disposal of pesticide containers. They warned that such negligence continues to endanger lives in rural areas.