KARACHI: Police have decided to launch a crackdown on sellers and manufacturers of “life-threatening kite strings” after the death of a four-year-old girl in Liaquatabad on Sunday evening, it emerged on Tuesday.
Four-year-old Saniya was travelling on a motorcycle with her maternal grandparents when a kite string slit her throat near Teen Hatti. She died on the spot.
“Following the tragic death of the minor girl, police conducted a raid and arrested an individual allegedly involved in flying and selling kites,” Liaquatabad SHO Imran Ahmed Khan told Dawn.
The suspect was identified as Sabir Aleem. Police recovered 60 kites and various kite strings from his possession.
The officer said the suspect had been arrested under Section 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Police had registered an FIR against unidentified suspect(s) under Sections 322 (manslaughter), 341 (wrongful restraint), 290 (public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for) and 291 (continuance of nuisance after an injunction to discontinue) of the PPC.
Mr Khan said the suspect had been handed over to the investigation branch for further investigation.
He added that an initial probe had led to the identification of five more individuals allegedly involved in selling kites and strings in the same locality. Police have decided to launch a crackdown against them to prevent similar incidents in future.
The officer said that, as the family did not wish to pursue legal proceedings, the police had registered the FIR on behalf of the state through Sub-Inspector Mohammad Yaqoob.
Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2026
