Search continues for minor boy who fell in Landhi Town nullah

KARACHI (92 News) – Residents of Landhi town of Karachi on a self-help basis started a search on Sunday to help recover a nine-year-old boy who allegedly went missing after falling into a nullah at 4pm yesterday. According to the reports, the body of a child who fell in drain has not been recovered after a full 24 hours. When no official response was forthcoming, residents of the area and the boy’s family staged a protest. However, the drowned child's family members have been complaining that no representative of the concerned department has approached them for the rescue operation. The child, identified as eight-year-old Arif, drowned in a drain in Swati Mohalla. He was tending to his goats when he slipped and fell in the drain at around 4pm on Saturday, according to his father. The government didn’t send anyone to help them so the residents of the area rented some shovels and dove into the drain to retrieve the body themselves. It still hasn’t been found. They have been digging out sludge and garbage from the drain. Meanwhile, the residents held protest against the District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Malir. Later, the local UC chairman, Jan Mohammad, also arrived at the scene. He was greeted by protesters who crowded around him and criticised his late appearance.  Approximately 22 hours after the child drowned, machinery from DMC South arrived to help look for the body. The residents said that the nullah is dangerous. Arif isn’t the first child to lose his life here. Less than a year ago, another child also lost his life in this drain. It doesn't have a cover and the chances of a child slipping in and getting stuck in the sludge-infested waters are very high.