In a heartbreaking case that has sparked widespread public anger, a 24-year-old woman named Sadia and her 10-month-old daughter Rida Fatima tragically died after falling into an uncovered manhole near Bhati Gate (close to Data Darbar shrine) in Lahore. The incident occurred amid ongoing construction work for the Data Darbar extension project, where an open manhole was left unsecured.
The woman’s husband, Ghulam Murtaza (also referred to as Hassan Murtaza in some reports), frantically alerted authorities and rescue teams about the accident. However, instead of launching an immediate search, officials and some police personnel reportedly dismissed his claims as “fake news” or impossible, arguing that a person could not fit into the manhole. Reports indicate that the husband was taken into custody, where he alleges severe torture by senior officers, including SP Bilal Ahmed and SHO Zain Khokar. Murtaza claims he was beaten and coerced into confessing to murdering his wife, despite the clear circumstances of the accident.
Bodies were eventually recovered after a prolonged delay—Sadia’s body was found approximately 3 kilometers away on Outfall Road, and the child’s body was later located near Saggian—confirming the husband’s account. The family further alleges that police initially arrested Murtaza and two other relatives, only releasing them after the recoveries.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz condemned the negligence, ordering the arrest of several officials from the contractor, Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA), and Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), including project managers and safety officers. She demanded compensation for the family and set a 48-hour deadline for an inquiry into the tragedy. The entire project team has been suspended, and arrests have been made in connection with the contractor’s negligence.
Public reaction on social media and in media reports has been furious, with many describing the police response as emblematic of a broader pattern of impunity and authoritarian tactics. Critics argue that labeling legitimate reports as “fake news” and resorting to torture to silence victims’ families points to systemic issues in law enforcement, where protecting administrative failures appears to take precedence over justice and public safety.
This incident has fueled debates about Pakistan increasingly resembling a “police state,” where routine negligence in infrastructure combines with heavy-handed policing to compound suffering for ordinary citizens. Calls for independent investigations into the alleged torture and accountability for all responsible parties continue to grow.
