KARACHI: The bodies of a family of five were recovered from a flat in Karachi’s Ahsanabad area on Sunday, with police suspecting suicide.
The deceased included a doctor, his wife and their three children. Police said the bodies appeared to have been lying in the flat for several days.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) East Zubair Nazir Sheikh said the bodies were found in a single room on the seventh floor of the building.
The flat’s door was locked from the inside, according to police.
SSP Sheikh said the deceased man was a doctor and the family’s sole provider. The bodies were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital after police completed the required legal formalities.
“The actual cause of death will only be determined after the postmortem,” he said.
Police said they were investigating the case from multiple angles to identify the deceased and determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Doctor Had Reportedly Lost Job
A neighbour told police that the doctor had remained unemployed for a considerable period after his clinic closed.
He had recently secured a job at East City Hospital, the neighbour said.
Police later said Dr Umar had resigned from a private hospital on September 13 after being diagnosed with cancer.
Police conducted a detailed search of the apartment after breaking down the door. They said no mobile phone was found inside.
The key to the apartment was reportedly found in Dr Umar’s possession.
Police also said Dr Umar originally belonged to Bahawalnagar.
Family Faced Financial Difficulties
According to police, Dr Umar’s wife had tried to sell the family’s oven the previous week.
A neighbour did not purchase the oven but provided the family with Rs2,000 in financial assistance, police said.
Another neighbour, Kamran, alerted police through the Madadgar 15 helpline after noticing a strong and unbearable smell coming from the apartment.
Speaking to journalists, Kamran said the doctor and his children had not been seen for several days.
He described Dr Umar as a decent person who worked at a private hospital.
Kamran also said Dr Umar had been robbed several days earlier. According to him, the robbers took the doctor’s salary and other belongings.
Officials Order Transparent Investigation
Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar sought details from SSP East and directed him to brief him on the initial police action.
He ordered that the investigation be conducted effectively and that its findings be made public.
Sindh Inspector General of Police also sought a detailed report from the SSP East.
The IG directed police to conduct the investigation transparently and impartially and complete it swiftly on the basis of evidence.
Police said the final cause of death would be established after postmortem examinations and further investigation.
