Pakistani actress and model Humaira Asghar, whose decomposed body was discovered earlier this week in an apartment in Karachi’s Defence Housing Society, was laid to rest on Friday evening in Model Town, Lahore, with only a few attendees present at her funeral.
The 32-year-old former television and theatre actress had reportedly died eight to ten months ago, according to preliminary post-mortem findings. Her body was discovered by police and a court-appointed bailiff after months of silence and no contact with family. The initial autopsy report could not determine a cause of death due to the state of decomposition, though Karachi police said on Saturday there was no immediate evidence of foul play. They added that chemical and histopathology tests are still pending, and an FIR would be filed only if further investigations indicate suspicious circumstances.
Humaira Asghar, also known as Humaira Asghar Ali, was a graduate of the National College of Arts and had a distinguished early career in Pakistan’s theatre scene, performing in over 100 plays with Ajoka and Rafi Peer Theatre. She later transitioned to modeling and appeared in various TV dramas and two films before moving to Karachi, where she had lived alone for the past several years.
Her death sparked widespread social media outrage, not just over the mystery surrounding it but also after reports surfaced that her family initially refused to claim her body, allegedly due to her decision to pursue a career in showbiz. However, her brother Navid Asghar, who ultimately received her body following DNA verification, denied that the family rejected her remains. He acknowledged, however, that the family had distanced itself from Humaira due to her professional choices.
“Humaira was an independent person. She moved to Karachi seven years ago and didn’t stay in touch. Her phone had been switched off for the past six months,” Navid said, adding that while their mother occasionally tried to contact her, there was little communication in recent times.
The deeply tragic and lonely circumstances of her passing have prompted calls for better support for women in the arts, as well as greater empathy toward those estranged from their families. While the final medical reports are awaited, Humaira Asghar’s untimely and quiet end has left many in Pakistan’s artistic community mourning a once-vibrant voice now lost to silence.