Pakistani actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s brother claims her body; DENIES reports of family rift - More deets inside

Pakistani actor and model Humaira Asghar Ali was recently found dead in her apartment in Karachi, sparking a wave of media reports and social media chatter. The actress and model who had carved out a modest name for herself through reality shows, television serials, and films, was discovered lifeless under heartbreaking circumstances.Humaira was discovered dead on Tuesday when a court-appointed bailiff arrived at her flat in Karachi’s Ittehad Commercial area. The bailiff was there to carry out an eviction over unpaid rent. After getting no response, they broke down the door and found her body inside.Humaira’s brother claims her bodyThe local police were soon at the scene. Early reports claimed her family had refused to claim her body. This prompted Sindh’s Minister for Culture and Tourism, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, to announce that the provincial government would step in to handle her last rites. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori also offered to help with her burial.However, as reported by ArabNews and The Express Tribune, on Thursday, Humaira’s brother, Naveed Asghar, travelled from Lahore to Karachi to collect her body from the Chhipa morgue. Speaking to the press before taking her remains back to Lahore, Naveed firmly denied all talk that the family had disowned her. “We have come here and after fulfilling all the legal requirements, have received the dead body,” he told reporters.A life lived on her own termsNaveed explained that his sister had moved to Karachi from Lahore on her own about seven years ago. She had chosen to keep her life separate, telling their father she was “responsible for my own affairs.” Though she would visit their family home once every six months to a year, she had not been in touch for the past year and a half.Family tried to reach outSix months ago, the family had tried to track her down, but her phone numbers were switched off and she had never shared her address with them. They even contacted one of her friends, only to be told that she “did not know the actress.”Then came the shocking news of her passing. Naveed shared, “Then when this incident happened, we were suddenly shocked, especially since there was already a situation at home with our paternal aunt,” referring to an aunt who had recently passed away in a road accident.He also revealed how the constant calls added to their grief. “That is why my father said that if there is any emergency, then you can bury her there [in Karachi],” Naveed explained, making it clear that his father’s words were misunderstood.Demands probeNaveed also took the opportunity to question and demand action, “Whatever matters took place with the landlord, did any of you interview him?” he asked. “You created noise all over Lahore, across Pakistan, and even around the world. But we have come here to take our sister. There are certain formalities that the police have to complete, after which the body is handed over.”A career in showbizHumaira Asghar Ali had made a name for herself on Pakistani television. She first rose to fame on ARY Digital’s reality show ‘Tamasha Ghar’, which was based on the popular ‘Big Brother’ format. She also acted in the 2015 action-thriller ‘Jalaibee’ and appeared in several TV dramas like ‘Just Married’, ‘Chal Dil Mere’, ‘Ehsaan Faramosh’, and ‘Guru’. Her final on-screen role was in the 2021 film ‘Love Vaccine’ alongside Farhan Saeed and Sonya Hussyn.