KARACHI: As many as six people, including a minor girl, drowned during first three days on Eid, police and rescue workers said.

An Edhi Foundation spokesperson said that two persons drowned at Hawkesbay, three in Hub Canal and one at Gadani beach.

The spokesperson said that all the victims lived in different parts of Karachi and had gone there for a picnic.

It may be noted that unlike previous years the city administration had not imposed a ban on swimming and bathing at the city beaches under Section 144 of the criminal procedure code during the Eid holidays.

Sources said that the provincial home department had not issued any advisory to the city administration for imposing the ban on swimming and bathing this year as the sea was not rough enough to impose any imminent threat to the lives of visitors. In Hub Canal, seven-year-old Islam Bibi drowned on Monday. Later, Edhi divers fished out the body.

A 14-year-old boy, identified as Moosa Wali, drowned in the sea at Gadani. The body was recovered and sent to the Hub Civil Hospital.

On Sunday, two teenagers — Hasnain Wahid, 16, and Mohammed Yusuf, 15 — drowned in Hub Canal. Edhi divers retrieved the bodies and sent to a hospital for medico-legal formalities.

On Sunday, the second day of Eid, two young men drowned while swimming at Hawkesbay.

Their bodies were recovered and sent to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities. One of the victim was identified as Mohammed Shabbir, 23.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2023