“This is Murder”: CM Maryam Nawaz Orders Arrests After Mother and Infant Daughter Die in Lahore Manhole.
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CM Maryam Nawaz orders immediate arrests and dismissals over the tragic deaths of Sadia and Rida Fatima.
In a swift and decisive action, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered the immediate arrest and dismissal of several officials found responsible for the tragic deaths of a woman and her 10-month-old daughter in Lahore. The heart-wrenching incident occurred when Sadia (24) and her infant daughter Rida Fatima fell into an open manhole near Bhati Gate (close to Data Darbar) on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
Accountability & Strict Action
- Arrests Ordered: The Chief Minister ordered the arrest of four project officials: Project Manager Asghar Sindhu, Safety In-charge Daniyal, Site In-charge Ahmed Nawaz, and WASA official Usman Babar.
- Dismissals from Service: She directed the immediate dismissal of Project Director Zahid Hussain and the WASA official, declaring they should never be rehired in any government post due to their “criminal negligence”.
- Higher Responsibility: CM Maryam also held the Commissioner Lahore, Deputy Commissioner, LDA Director General, and WASA Managing Director equally responsible for the systemic failure.
Victim Support & Compensation
- Financial Aid: The Chief Minister directed the responsible contractor to pay Rs 10 million (with some reports initially mentioning Rs 100m) as compensation to the deceased woman’s husband, Murtaza.
- Livelihood Support: To ensure the family’s future, the government has been instructed to provide a taxi to the husband.
Public Safety Directives
- Province-wide Audit: CM Maryam ordered that all open manholes and excavations across Punjab be secured and covered immediately.
- Site Requirements: She mandated that all construction sites must be properly lit at night. Additionally, temporary wireless or mobile cameras must be installed at sites where Safe City cameras were removed.
- Critical Remarks: During a briefing at the Lahore airport, she stated, “This is Punjab… not a place where someone falls and dies and no one cares,” labeling the negligence as nothing less than murder.
The bodies were recovered after a grueling rescue operation—Sadia’s body was found late Wednesday night on Outfall Road, while her daughter’s body was retrieved nearly 17 hours later at Saggian.
