Humaira Asghar tried reaching out to 14 people before her death, no one responded

Dubai: As the investigation into the mysterious death of model and actress Humaira Asghar Ali unfolded, police have uncovered chilling details pointing to her final, unanswered attempts at contact before vanishing from the public eye.

Humaira, 32, attempted to reach out to 14 individuals including a prominent television director based in Islamabad on October 7, 2024. None of her calls or messages received a reply. This date now marks the last digital footprint of the actress, as her phone records and WhatsApp activity ceased entirely after that day, according to the Express Tribune.

Humaira’s decomposed body was discovered on July 8, 2025, nearly nine months later, inside her fourth-floor apartment in DHA Phase VI, Karachi. The discovery was made by a court-appointed bailiff executing an eviction notice over unpaid rent. Police, who accompanied the bailiff, found the body in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting she had been dead since October.

Three mobile phones

Police recovered three mobile phones, a tablet, a handwritten diary, and several important documents from her apartment. All devices had gone dark after October 2024. Two SIM cards found in her phones were inactive, and no outgoing or incoming activity has been traced beyond that month.

“The expiry dates of food items in the refrigerator were from September. Power to the apartment was disconnected shortly after due to non-payment of bills,” DIG South Asad Raza said during a press briefing.

One of the last messages on her phone was from a ride-hailing app. A WhatsApp message sent to her by stylist Danish Maqsood on October 20, 2024, remains unread. Her last ‘last seen’ on WhatsApp was October 7.

Central lead

Investigators are treating her mobile phone activity as a central lead in the early phase of the investigation. Police have already established contact with some of the individuals she tried to reach. Formal statements, including from the Islamabad-based director, are expected to be recorded soon.

The initial post-mortem, conducted by police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, could not determine a definitive cause of death due to the advanced state of decomposition. “We’ve collected DNA and chemical samples. The toxicology and forensic reports will be critical to uncovering what happened,” she said.

While police have not ruled out foul play, no external injuries were immediately visible. The flat next door was unoccupied, which may explain why no neighbors reported any suspicious odor or activity for months.

Social media influencer

Humaira Asghar, who built a large following as a social media influencer and television actress, had reportedly become increasingly reclusive. She lived alone in the DHA flat for seven years, and her absence went unnoticed even by those in her professional circles.

The tragedy was compounded by her family’s initial refusal to claim her body. DIG Raza confirmed that her father declined custody. Eventually, her brother-in-law traveled from Lahore to receive her remains.

With few answers so far, police are now examining her financial transactions, personal relationships, and digital history to determine whether her death was accidental, self-inflicted, or the result of foul play. The apartment remains sealed as forensic experts comb through evidence.