Science of the dead: How forensics could unravel Humaira Asghar’s death

When Pakistani actor and model Humaira Asghar Ali was found dead inside her Karachi apartment earlier this week, the nation was left stunned—not just by the tragedy of a young life lost, but by the disturbing reality that her body had lain undiscovered for months.

Many were left wondering how such a grim incident could go unnoticed for so long. How can someone disappear in plain sight, in one of the city’s busiest neighborhoods, without raising alarm? The discovery raised not only painful questions about social isolation but also critical ones about forensic procedures: How do experts determine how long a body has been dead? What is the science behind such estimates?

To solve this grim puzzle, forensic experts rely on the body’s natural biological clock after death. Dr Rohina Hassan, a former police surgeon in the Sindh Police, broke down this process in conversation with Nukta.

From stiffness to swelling: What the body reveals

“There are two types of decomposition—aerobic and anaerobic,” Dr Hassan explained. “The earliest signs begin within minutes of death, but it’s the rigor mortis—the stiffness of the body—that’s a key early indicator.”

Stiffness starts at the eyelids and gradually travels down to the toes within 12 hours. If limbs are still rigid, the death likely occurred less than half a day ago. But after another 12 hours, the body begins to loosen, starting again from the eyes.

“After 24 hours, we begin to see ‘marbling’ on the lower abdomen, a greenish pattern caused by the breakdown of blood. By 48 hours, the belly swells with gas, the tongue slips out, and the eyes begin to protrude,” Dr Hassan said.

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By the third day, the smell becomes unbearable, and maggots begin to appear in natural orifices—mouth, nose, and even eyes. Forensic teams track the life cycle of these insects to estimate time since death. “From the moment a fly lays eggs to the point they hatch into maggots and eventually flies—each stage offers clues,” she added.

“After 48 hours, we closely observe the development of maggots—especially where they appear first. These typically start at body openings like the mouth, nostrils, and genitals,” Dr Hassan explained.

“We estimate the time since death by analyzing how far along the maggot cycle has progressed. If they’re still in the larval stage, the death likely occurred within the past 72 to 96 hours. If pupae or flies are present, more time has passed.”

She added that the cycle is temperature-dependent. “In Karachi’s warm climate, decomposition happens faster. Within 72 hours, a body may begin to rupture due to gas buildup. The abdomen may crack, especially if no cooling or ventilation is present, which accelerates putrefaction.

Can a body really be six months old?

Some early reports speculated that Ali’s death may have occurred up to six months ago. But Dr Hassan expressed skepticism.

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“After six months, the internal organs are almost completely liquefied,” she noted. “Even the heart, a very tough muscle, can hardly be distinguished from surrounding tissue. There should be visible signs like cracked abdominal skin due to pressure from internal gases.”

Other late-stage signs would include hair falling from the scalp and a corpse that is nearly skeletonized, depending on environmental conditions. “At that point,” she said, “the smell is so overpowering that even we, the surgeons, must bathe and change before we can go home.”

This analysis aligns with Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, who told reporters that the body was in a “very advanced stage of decomposition,” but estimated time of death as around one month ago—not six.

"The idea that the body could be six months old contradicts what we typically observe,” Dr Hassan reiterated.

“The scalp hair detaches, the skin starts peeling off, and even the strongest organs collapse structurally. We examine things like whether the head hair easily pulls off, or if skin slippage has started. These indicators help us confirm if months have really passed.”

The forensic trail: What we know

The physical evidence at the crime scene also paints a compelling timeline. Police recovered unopened milk and yogurt from the refrigerator—with expiry dates from October 2024. Local shopkeepers confirmed they hadn’t seen her in months. Her last electric bill was paid in October, and her last phone call traced to September, when she called a cab driver.

While no signs of violence or weapon were found, investigators are awaiting toxicology and histopathology reports before ruling out foul play. “The post-mortem report is reserved,” said SSP South Mehroz Ali, adding that samples have been sent to the medical examiner.

Family members told police they had disowned Ali two years ago and hadn’t been in touch since. Neighbors described her as distant and reclusive.

Procedures after discovery

After a body is discovered, police must file an inquest report before an autopsy is allowed. This report includes details about the environment, body position, clothing, and suspected cause of death.

“We’re asked specific questions,” Dr Hassan explained. “Was there visible trauma? How much decomposition has occurred? What is the estimated time since death? We answer these in the inquest. Then, we obtain signatures from police officers and any present relatives before the autopsy starts.”

Loneliness and the death no one noticed

Humaira’s death has sparked a wave of grief and introspection across social media. Many are grappling not just with how she died, but how she died alone, unnoticed, in one of the most affluent areas of Karachi.

“This isn’t just about Humaira,” wrote one user on X. “It’s about all of us—how we’ve built lives so disconnected that a person can die and no one even knocks.”

Colleagues from the entertainment industry also weighed in. “The industry often looks glamorous,” said actor Saheefa Jabbar Khattak, “but navigating it can be deeply challenging.”

Humaira rose to fame through the reality show Tamasha and appeared in dramas like Benaam and Laali. In life, she courted the spotlight. In death, she vanished from view—until the court bailiff came knocking.

As forensic science works to reconstruct Humaira’s final moments from what little her decayed body can still tell, society is left asking deeper questions. Not just about how she died, but why it took so long for anyone to find out.

And in that silence, the science speaks.