A woman and her infant daughter died after falling into an open manhole in Lahore’s Bhati Gate area, an incident that was described as “fake news” by Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar. Videos of the incident later went viral on social media.
According to details, a journalist questioned the deputy speaker about a reported accident outside Bhati Gate in which a woman and her nine-month-old daughter had lost their lives. In response, Zaheer Iqbal Channar dismissed the report, saying it was “fake news”.
As videos of the incident circulated widely on social media, the journalist reiterated that the bodies of both the woman and the child had been recovered.
The deputy speaker maintained his stance, stating that he had verified the information and insisted the report was false.
It is worth noting that following the deaths of the woman and child, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed deep sorrow over the incident and suspended the entire team working on the Data Darbar project.
Those suspended include the project director, deputy director and assistant director.
According to reports, the woman was sitting near Bhati Gate with her child when the nine-month-old baby fell into an open manhole. The woman reportedly jumped in to rescue her daughter. Both died in the tragic incident.
The victim’s family has demanded justice from the Punjab government.
