The Pakistani entertainment industry is grappling with the mysterious death of actor and model Humaira Asghar, whose decomposed body was found in her Karachi apartment on July 8, 2025, possibly six months after her passing. Authorities are investigating, with forensic evidence suggesting she died around October 2024, while the cause of death remains undetermined pending further analysis.
The body of 32-year-old actor and model Humaira Asghar was discovered in her rented apartment in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Phase VI, Ittehad Commercial area, on Tuesday, following a court-ordered eviction due to unpaid rent since 2024. South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza revealed that the body was likely six months old, citing expired food and drinks dated 2024 found in the flat and phone records showing no activity since October 2024. “The last message on her phone was from an online taxi driver, and her WhatsApp ‘last seen’ was October 7,” Raza noted, adding that the apartment’s electricity had been disconnected for months.
Police, accompanied by a court-appointed bailiff, broke into the locked apartment after receiving no response, prompted by neighbors reporting a foul smell. The Gizri police found the body in an advanced state of decomposition, making immediate identification and cause of death determination challenging. Police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed confirmed that an initial post-mortem was conducted, but the body’s condition necessitated further DNA and chemical analysis to ascertain the cause of death. “It would be premature to conclude anything at this stage,” she stated.
Initial investigations show no signs of foul play, as the apartment, including the balcony door, was locked from the inside. The Crime Scene Unit collected forensic evidence, and the body was moved to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre before being transferred to the Chhipa morgue. DIG Raza indicated that the post-mortem report, expected within days, will guide further investigation. Notably, Asghar’s father initially refused to claim her body, prompting Sindh’s Department of Culture, under Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, to step in as legal guardian to oversee burial arrangements if needed. Shah confirmed the body would be handed over to the department if the family did not claim it by Thursday.
The case has sparked widespread discussion, with stylist Danish Maqsood noting to Geo Digital that he messaged Asghar on October 20, 2024, which went unread, aligning with her phone’s last activity on October 7. Asghar, known for her roles in ARY’s Tamasha Ghar and the 2015 film Jalaibee, had lived alone in the apartment for seven years and maintained a low profile in recent years. Her death follows a similar incident involving actress Ayesha Khan, found deceased in Karachi last month, raising concerns about social isolation and mental health in the entertainment industry.
