Sindh govt to bury actress Humaira Asghar as family refuses body

The body of actress and model Humaira Asghar Ali remains unclaimed in a Karachi cold storage for the past two days, following her death, which is now mired in mystery and public outrage.

With her family refusing to receive her remains, the Sindh Culture and Tourism Department has stepped forward, announcing that it will take responsibility for her burial.

Provincial Minister for Culture Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah confirmed that if the deceased’s parents or immediate blood relatives continue to refuse accepting the body, the department will consider itself Humaira’s heir and proceed with her burial. A formal letter has already been sent by the Sindh culture secretary to the DIG South, requesting the handover of the body for funeral arrangements.

The secretary, in his letter to the DIG South, requested the handover of Humaira Asghar’s body, stating that she is not an abandoned individual. "The case of Humaira Asghar is deeply saddening and heartbreaking," the letter noted. The culture department will take full responsibility for all stages of the process, including the burial and cemetery arrangements. 

"Our first effort remains to persuade the parents to accept and receive the body," the secretary added. 

"Our first effort is that the parents agree and receive the body," said Zulfiqar Ali Shah. “But if not, we will fulfil our moral and social responsibility to ensure she is laid to rest with dignity.”

Humaira’s body was reportedly discovered six months after her death inside a room in her Karachi residence — a tragic symbol of her solitary life. Since then, it has remained in Chhipa Welfare's hidden cold storage for two days, awaiting identification and release.

Although a brother-in-law came forward to collect the body, police authorities maintained that only blood relatives are legally eligible to claim it. The police have termed the situation as "worrying," while citizens have expressed anger and grief over what they describe as society’s indifference to those who live in isolation. 

"She lived alone. Death came in solitude. And even now, no one has come to meet her," commented a social worker involved in the case.

The incident has sparked broader conversations on urban loneliness and social alienation. Psychologists say this case reflects a growing trend of isolation in large cities, where individuals living alone often go unnoticed until tragedy strikes. 

On the other hand, a Karachi citizen named Shahzeb Sohail has filed a petition in the City Court, demanding the registration of a murder case. The petitioner alleges that Humaira Asghar did not die naturally but was murdered. He further claims that video footage of the incident suggests foul play and calls for a thorough investigation, even urging authorities to investigate her family.

The petition names SSP South and the SHO of Gizri Police Station as respondents. Rescue officials warn that if no family member steps forward in the coming days, the body will be buried in the Amanta graveyard in Moach Goth, reserved for unclaimed remains.