Sindh govt, KWSC ordered to pay Rs15m over girl’s death in open manhole

KARACHI: A Karachi court on Saturday directed the Sindh government and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) to pay Rs15 million in compensation to the legal heirs of an eight-year-old girl who died after falling into an open manhole.

The court held the authorities responsible for negligence.

Senior Civil Judge (West) Salman Amjad Siddiqui issued the order while hearing a compensation lawsuit filed by the girl’s parents through their lawyer, Advocate Farrukh Usman, under the Fatal Accidents Act, 1855.

The parents had demanded compensation from the Sindh government and KWSC, claiming that their daughter’s death resulted from the authorities’ failure to properly maintain public infrastructure and ensure safety.

According to Advocate Farrukh Usman, the incident took place in 2021 at Sher Muhammad Village near Mauripur Road.

He said the girl, identified as Habiba, had gone outside to play but did not return. Her body was discovered two days later in a nearby sewer, where she had apparently fallen through an uncovered manhole.

The parents had initially sought Rs25 million in damages and made the Sindh government and KWSC parties to the case.

After hearing the arguments and examining the evidence, the court held the concerned authorities liable for the incident and ordered them to pay Rs15 million in compensation to the deceased girl’s legal heirs.