https://arab.news/253bb
- Ali’s decomposed body was found in her apartment on July 8, nearly nine months after her death
- Police say while it appears to be a natural death, the possibility of murder has not been ruled out
KARACHI: Pakistani police said on Friday no toxic substances were found in the body of Humaira Asghar Ali, a 42-year-old actress whose remains were discovered in Karachi last week, nine months after her death.
Ali, originally from Lahore, had been living alone in a rented apartment in Karachi’s Ittehad Commercial area for nearly seven years while pursuing an acting career.
Her decomposed body was discovered on July 8 when a court-appointed bailiff broke into her apartment to vacate the property over unpaid rent.
“The chemical report confirms that no sedative, psychotic, narcotic or poisonous substance was detected in the samples,” said Mahroz Ali, Senior Superintendent of Police, citing findings by the Industrial Analytical Center at the University of Karachi’s HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry.
The forensic analysis included tests on hair, lung and liver samples, and found no evidence of foul play from toxic substances.
According to Deputy Inspector General of Police, Syed Asad Raza, police believe Ali died sometime between the evening of October 7 and 8, 2024.
Speaking in an interview with Arab News last week, Raza said the considerable delay in discovering the body has complicated the investigation.
“We are pursuing four possibilities: natural death, accidental death, suicide or homicide,” Raza said. “At present, natural or accidental death appears more likely based on the available evidence.”
The room where the body was found served as both a painting studio and a passage to the washroom.
Raza noted Ali may have slipped and fallen while doing laundry.
A tub filled with washed clothes was discovered in the washroom, suggesting she may have been in the process of household chores at the time of the incident, though there was no blood around her.
“There were no fractured bones, no signs of bleeding and no evidence of a physical struggle,” Raza said. “Typically, in cases of foul play, there are signs of resistance, but we didn’t find any.”
Despite the absence of overt signs of foul play, Raza said investigators are not ruling out any possibilities, including third-party involvement.
“It’s a remote possibility, but we are continuing to investigate that angle,” he said.
Police have collected and sent digital devices found at the scene, including mobile phones and tablets, for forensic analysis, he added.