Overview
- Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced the draft law in a viral video, saying stealing, selling or buying manhole covers would be punishable by one to ten years in prison.
- If an uncovered drain leads to a death, offenders would face a 10-year term and fines ranging from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, according to the proposal.
- The crackdown would target not only thieves but also scrap dealers who purchase or trade in stolen covers.
- Police cited a January 29 incident near Lahore’s Data Darbar in which a mother, Sadia, and her infant daughter, Rida Fatima, died after falling into an open manhole.
- Reports link the surge in thefts to Pakistan’s economic strain and the scrap value of iron rings in covers, while the chief minister alleged some thefts involve organised ‘family gangs’ operating at night.