The mystery surrounding the sudden disappearance of Pakistani television and film actor Humaira Asghar Ali unravelled in grim fashion this week after her remains were discovered in her locked Karachi apartment, nine months after she is believed to have died.
Her decomposed body was recovered on Tuesday following a complaint lodged by her landlord over unpaid rent. Police officials said the corpse, found in an “advanced stage of decomposition”, was identified only after DNA verification, as the remains were unrecognisable.
Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, who carried out the post-mortem, confirmed that the actor had likely died in October 2024. “Humaira's body is likely nine months old. She probably died between paying her last utility bills and when her electricity was disconnected in October 2024, probably due to non-payment of the bill,” a police official told Arab News.
There were no signs of foul play, though investigators were struck by the signs of prolonged neglect. “The jars had rusted, and food had expired six months ago,” an officer noted. With the flat sealed and no immediate neighbours, one official said the only other apartment on her floor was unoccupied—no one reported any unusual smell or activity.
It was only after a group of residents returned in February that they detected an odour, by which time the scent had already begun to fade. A balcony door was reportedly left open, and water pipes had rusted dry.
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Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza, citing Call Detail Records (CDR), confirmed that the last call from her phone was made in October 2024. Neighbours had last seen her in September or early October. Her electricity had been cut off that same month.
“Whatever matters took place with the landlord, did any of you interview him?” her brother, Naveed Asghar, asked reporters. He reached Karachi this week to take custody of the body and confirmed that the DNA test had matched.
“We have come here and after fulfilling all the legal requirements, have received the dead body,” he told Arab News, adding that Humaira had become distant from the family over the years.
“She had moved from Lahore to Karachi about seven years ago and would only visit occasionally. In recent years, she had not been home for nearly a year and a half. That is why my father said that if there is any emergency, then you can bury her there [in Karachi],” Naveed explained, referring to the family’s initial reluctance to claim the body.
Born and raised in Lahore, Humaira began her acting career in 2015. She played supporting roles in television serials such as Just Married, Ehsaan Faramosh, Guru, and Chal Dil Mere. She appeared in the 2015 film Jalaibee and later featured in Love Vaccine in 2021.
She gained further public attention in 2022 after participating in the reality show Tamasha Ghar, aired on ARY Digital. The following year, she received the Best Emerging Talent & Rising Star award at the National Woman Leadership Awards.
Karachi Police continue to investigate the circumstances leading to her death and the delay in its discovery, particularly the role of the landlord and the absence of follow-up from neighbours.
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