Karachi doctor, wife and three daughters found dead in apartment

KARACHI: A 45-year-old doctor, his wife and their three young daughters were found dead inside their apartment in Ahsanabad, Scheme-33, on Sunday, with authorities awaiting post-mortem and laboratory findings to determine the circumstances and cause of the five deaths.

The bodies were discovered after neighbours alerted the building management about a foul smell coming from the family’s seventh-floor apartment. Police said the apartment door was locked from inside when officers arrived and had to be forced open.

The deceased were identified as Dr Umer, 45, his wife Mehwish, 35, and their three daughters. Police identified the eldest daughter as 13-year-old Zainab, while the other two girls were reported to be between two and four years old.

The five bodies were found lying in a room and were subsequently shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for post-mortem examination.

No apparent injuries found

Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said there were no apparent injury marks on the bodies, which were already in an advanced stage of decomposition.

She said the doctors conducting the examination had reserved their opinion about the cause of death, with chemical analysis required before any conclusion could be reached.

Samples were also collected for DNA analysis, according to Dr Summaiya Syed.

The condition of the bodies has made the post-mortem and laboratory examination particularly important in establishing what happened to the family and whether any toxic substance or other medical factor contributed to the deaths.

Police investigating medical and personal circumstances

Mohammed Nawaz, Station House Officer (SHO) of SITE Superhighway Industrial Area Police Station, said the police were informed by the building’s union after residents noticed the foul smell.

The officer said Dr Umer worked at a private hospital located near his residence. According to the police, he had recently been diagnosed with cancer, a development that had reportedly affected him.

Police also said the doctor had recently been robbed, while neighbours had informed investigators about his reported medical condition and difficult financial circumstances. Authorities stressed that these details were still being investigated and had not established the cause or circumstances of the deaths.

The family had reportedly been living in the apartment since 2024.

Bodies may have remained undiscovered for days

East Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zubair Nazir Shaikh, who visited the scene, said the bodies appeared to have been there for approximately three days before they were discovered.

He said it would be premature to draw conclusions about the exact cause of death while the post-mortem examination and other investigations were still in progress.

A crime scene unit was called to collect evidence from the apartment, while investigators were also obtaining closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage as part of the inquiry.

Police said they would question the management of the hospital where Dr Umer worked as well as neighbours to establish the family's recent circumstances and determine what may have occurred before the deaths.

Investigation continues as authorities await reports

Police said Dr Umer originally belonged to Punjab and investigators had managed to contact his brother, who lives in Lahore.

His father-in-law, who also resides in Punjab, was asked to come forward to claim the bodies.

For now, authorities have not established a definitive cause of death. The post-mortem findings, chemical analysis, DNA examination, crime-scene evidence and CCTV footage are expected to help investigators piece together the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Police said the information provided by neighbours regarding Dr Umer's health and financial difficulties would also be verified as the investigation continues.

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