Lahore Manhole Tragedy Leads to Arrests and Police Shake-up

LAHORE — The investigation into the tragic deaths of Sadia (24) and her infant daughter Rida Fatima, who fell into an open manhole near Bhati Gate, has escalated from an administrative inquiry into a high-profile criminal case. Following the burial of the victims on Friday in Jhang, shocking details of police misconduct and systemic negligence have emerged.

Arrests of Top Contractors

Acting on direct orders from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Lahore police have arrested the leadership of the private firm handling the Data Darbar expansion project:

• Salman and Usman: The two Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the contracting company have been taken into custody.
• Expanding Scope: Police are also set to question the CEO of M/S Design and Engineering Pvt Limited to determine why safety protocols—mandatory for urban construction—were entirely absent at the site.
• Remand: A judicial magistrate has already granted a four-day physical remand for the project manager, site in-charge, and safety in-charge to complete the investigation.

The Inquiry Report: Police Torture Exposed

A high-powered fact-finding committee has released a scathing report detailing how local police attempted to “cover up” the incident by framing the grieving husband, Ghulam Murtaza.

“They slapped and tortured me with belts and sticks… the SHO tried to force me to confess that I had sent my wife away with someone else and that she hadn’t fallen into a manhole.”

— Ghulam Murtaza, husband of the deceased.

Key Findings on Police Conduct:

• Illegal Detention: The SP City (Bilal), the DSP, and SHO Bhati Gate (Zain Abbas) were held responsible for the illegal three-hour detention and physical torture of Murtaza.
• Premature Conclusions: The police reportedly labeled the incident “fake” based on a faulty initial assessment by Rescue 1122, failing to investigate the site properly before resorting to violence against the witness.
• Outcome: All three senior police officers have been held accountable for “unprofessional conduct,” with the SHO and DSP facing immediate suspension.

Systemic Administrative Failure

The government has moved to dismantle the entire team overseeing the Data Darbar revamp project due to “criminal negligence.”

• Suspensions: The Project Director (Zahid Abbas), Deputy Director, Assistant Director, and Sub-Engineer of the Traffic Engineering & Transport Planning Agency (TEPA) have all been suspended.
• Show-Cause for NESPAK: The project consultant, NESPAK, has been issued a show-cause notice, with a recommendation to suspend the resident engineer for failing to audit site safety.
• Zero Tolerance: CM Maryam Nawaz has ordered an immediate province-wide audit of all open manholes and construction sites, vowing that “no one will be treated with leniency.”

The next judicial hearing for the suspects is scheduled for February 3. 

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