Karachi:
Four bodies, including a minor, were fished out of separate drowning events in Hawke’s Bay, Hub Dam and Hub River for the past two days, rescuers said Friday. According to the Edhi Foundation, 30-year-old Asad Nawab and 26-year-old Faizan drowned while swimming in Hub Dam on Thursday. Their bodies were picked up by divers on Friday morning.
Relatives said the two were neighbors and had gone together. Funeral beans were offered after Friday prayers, followed by burial at the local cemetery. Both men were married and Faizan was the father of a young daughter.
Rescue officials also restored the body of 12-year-old Huzaifa, who drowned in Hub River on Thursday. The family took the body without ending the police formalities.
In another incident, two young people drowned at Manora Point near Hawke’s Bay while swimming in the sea. On Friday night, divers restored the body of the 25-year-old Waseem from Turtle Beach near HUT No. 105. However, the search for 20-year-old Zakir had to be suspended at the evening and resumed on Saturday.
Officials said the victims were part of a group of five friends from Ranchore Line who had gone to Manora Point for a picnic. Lifeguards managed to save the other three – Kashif, Saleem and Gulfam – after a strenuous effort.
Drowning of picnickers on the city’s beaches is common because most of them do not know how to swim and enjoy spraying only in deep waist. However, they are swept away by high tide and are unable to swim ashore.
Each year, Karachi Commissioner imposes a ban on swimming over the summers to prevent drowning of incidents. Nevertheless, people rush to the beaches on holidays, throw caution against the wind and risk their lives.
