11-year-old Haneezah Shah did not drown – She was allowed to die

KARACHI: The death of 11-year-old Haneezah Shah during a school picnic at Sunrise Water Park near Northern Bypass, Gadap Town, has raised serious questions about safety standards at recreational facilities and the responsibility of schools organising trips for young children.

An investigation by Daily Minute Mirror into the incident has alleged that the water park lacked several basic safety and emergency arrangements that should be expected at a facility receiving schoolchildren. The findings have also prompted questions about the precautions taken by the school before allowing primary-grade students to enter a water-based recreational facility.

According to the investigation, Haneezah, a Class-4 student from Mehmoodabad, was among children taken to the water park during a school outing. What was planned as a recreational trip ended in tragedy when the child drowned and was subsequently taken away for medical assistance.

The investigation claims that no certified lifeguard was visibly deployed at the relevant pool area at the time of the incident. It further alleges that life jackets, clear depth markings and essential rescue equipment, including rescue tubes, shepherd hooks and emergency alarms, were not available at the site.

The report also raises concerns about the availability of emergency medical facilities. According to the investigation, the facility did not have a properly equipped first-aid room, paramedic, oxygen support or an ambulance immediately available, with a rickshaw reportedly being used to transport the child after the incident.

These allegations, if established through an independent inquiry, could point to significant failures in recreational safety and emergency preparedness.

The circumstances surrounding the school’s decision to organise the trip have also come under scrutiny. The investigation says Green Flag Public School in Mehmoodabad took around 40 primary-level students on the outing, accompanied by female teachers. Questions have consequently been raised about whether the school had carried out a formal risk assessment of the venue, verified its safety arrangements and maintained adequate supervision of children around deep water.

The investigation has particularly questioned whether schools should be required to obtain formal permissions, assess children’s swimming abilities and ensure appropriate adult supervision before organising trips involving swimming pools or other potentially hazardous recreational activities.

The tragedy has also renewed attention on the wider regulatory framework governing water parks and recreational pools in Karachi. The investigation alleges that several recreational facilities operating around the Northern Bypass, Malir and adjoining areas require closer scrutiny regarding licensing, safety certification, emergency response arrangements and compliance with applicable regulations.

Rather than treating the incident as an isolated tragedy, the report calls for authorities to examine whether similar facilities are being inspected regularly and whether operators are meeting required safety and building standards.

The legal responsibility of the school administration and water-park management will ultimately depend on the facts established through the police investigation and any subsequent proceedings. Relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code may apply where negligence or a wrongful act is established, but determining criminal liability requires investigation and due legal process.

The investigation has also urged authorities to preserve and examine available CCTV footage, visitor records and other evidence surrounding the incident. Establishing a clear timeline of what happened before, during and after the drowning will be crucial in determining whether safety protocols were followed and whether emergency assistance was provided promptly.

The case has meanwhile intensified calls for stronger child-safety protocols for school excursions. Parents are increasingly being urged to ask schools about venue approvals, emergency arrangements, lifeguard certification, supervision ratios and the availability of life-saving equipment before permitting children to participate in activities involving water.

Haneezah’s death has therefore become more than a single family tragedy. It has raised a broader public-safety question: when schools take children to recreational facilities, who is responsible for ensuring that every reasonable precaution has been taken before the outing begins?

For a child, a school picnic should be a day of learning, friendship and memories—not an occasion where basic safety questions are answered only after tragedy strikes.

The incident now awaits a thorough and transparent investigation capable of establishing responsibility, identifying any regulatory failures and determining what measures are necessary to prevent another child from losing her life under similar circumstances.