Post-mortem examinations of five members of a family found dead inside a flat in Karachi’s Ahsanabad area have been completed, with doctors finding no signs of torture or injuries caused by a sharp-edged weapon, according to the police surgeon.
Police Surgeon Dr Samia said samples taken from different parts of the bodies had been sent to a laboratory for chemical analysis. The final cause of death will be determined after the laboratory results are received.
The deceased were identified as Dr Umar, his wife and their three children, whose bodies were discovered together in one room of the flat.
A neighbour told police that the family had moved into the residence in February 2024 and had been experiencing financial difficulties. According to the neighbour, the family had also opened a clinic in the area, but the venture had not been successful.
The neighbour also referred to an unspecified incident the family had recently faced. Authorities were alerted after a strong foul smell began coming from the flat.
Police subsequently broke open the door and discovered the five bodies. A Crime Scene Unit examined the premises and collected evidence before the bodies were transferred to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Police said they had contacted Dr Umar’s brother, Abu Bakr, and his father-in-law, both of whom are currently in Punjab.
The bodies will be handed over to the relatives after they arrive in Karachi.
With no final cause of death established during the initial examinations, investigators are awaiting the chemical analysis before determining the circumstances in which the five family members died.