A five-year-old girl was killed in Karachi’s Liaquatabad area after a kite string slit her throat while she rode a motorcycle with her grandfather. Her grieving family has now demanded an end to the dangerous practice of kite flying.
The girl, identified as Saniya Noor Iman, was travelling with her grandfather when the string suddenly caught them. He said the line first injured his hand before cutting the child’s throat. Police and rescue officials said she was taken towards Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre but could not survive. Initial reports gave differing accounts of the exact location, which was given as the Liaquatabad and Teen Hatti area.
Grandfather recounts the fatal moment on the road
Naseer, the girl’s grandfather, said the string hit them without warning. He said the pair rushed to get medical help, but Saniya died in his arms inside the ambulance. “For God’s sake, stop this game,” he pleaded. “Today I have lost my child, tomorrow someone else may lose theirs.”
Family mourns as father calls for complete ban
Saniya’s body was taken to the family home in Korangi, plunging relatives into mourning. Her father, Daniyal, said kite flying should be stopped entirely, arguing that no child should lose their life because of it. He described his daughter as his eldest child, who was dearly loved by the family.
Funeral prayers were offered at Ghausia Mosque in Korangi, attended by a large number of relatives and residents. She was later laid to rest in a local graveyard amid scenes of grief.
Kite strings pose ongoing risks in Karachi
The incident has again highlighted the dangers kite strings pose to motorcyclists and pedestrians in Karachi. In 2024, after numerous incidents of severe injuries from stray strings, the Karachi Commission banned the sale and flying of kites within the metropolitan area. Sharp or chemically coated strings can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries to people travelling on motorcycles.
