Portrait of Humaira Asghar, the Pakistani Actress Found Dead in Decay, Her Body Discovered After 9 Months

For the past few years, Humaira has been known to live alone in that apartment after moving from Lahore to Karachi. She has also long been estranged from her family. Following the discovery of the body, her father refused to take over the burial, prompting the Sindh provincial government and several artists to intervene. On Thursday, her brother, Naveed Asghar, finally arrived from Lahore and took the body after a DNA test confirmed her identity.

“She has indeed distanced herself from us. We haven’t seen each other for over a year,” Naveed told reporters. “When the police called, we were very shocked. My father initially said, if it's an emergency, just bury her in Karachi.”

The family's initial refusal sparked a wave of empathy and criticism from the public. The Sindh Cultural Department and Governor Kamran Tessori stated they were ready to take responsibility for Humaira's burial. Tessori even offered the Governor's House as a venue for the funeral ceremony.

Forensic doctor Dr. Summaiya Syed who performed the autopsy said, “The body showed no signs of external injuries and was too decomposed to determine the cause of death.” Body samples were sent to ICCBS University of Karachi for histopathological and toxicological examination. The police have not ruled out the possibility of criminal elements, suicide, or accidental death.

“Everything, from rusty food jars to utilities being turned off, depicts the gradual disappearance of life—a woman who vanished silently amidst the hustle and bustle of a city with millions of inhabitants,” said a senior officer involved in the investigation.

The apartment next to Humaira's unit turned out to be vacant, which is why no neighbors detected the foul smell in the early weeks. When new occupants moved into that unit in February, the unpleasant odor had already dissipated and the locked apartment was forgotten again.

Humaira Asghar Ali is a graduate of the National College of Arts and the College of Art & Design in Lahore. She has starred in several television dramas such as Just Married, Chal Dil Mere, and Guru, as well as the film Jalaibee in 2015. She became well-known to the public again when she participated in the reality show Tamasha Ghar on ARY.