Five members of a family were found dead at a house in a private housing society in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Hadeed area, rescue officials said on Tuesday. The victims were identified as Shahzaib, 40, his wife Saba, also 40, their daughters Arya, four, and Aizal, five, and Shahzaib’s 18-year-old sister Shumaila.
Police suspect suicide. They said Shahzaib allegedly left a note in which he cited financial difficulties. According to police, he was unemployed and had been selling property he inherited from his late father to manage his finances.
Inspector general orders impartial investigation
Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho took notice of the case and sought a report from the deputy inspector general. He directed officials to carry out a transparent and impartial investigation into all aspects of the incident and establish the actual cause of the five deaths.
The IG also ordered the collection of evidence from the scene, forensic investigations and completion of all legal formalities. Police were told to identify any individuals involved and examine possible criminal aspects. He asked to be kept regularly updated on the progress of the inquiry.
Similar case reported weeks earlier in Site area
The incident follows a strikingly similar case weeks earlier, when five bodies were found in a flat in Karachi’s Ahsanabad area in the Site neighbourhood. Those dead included a man, his wife and their three children. Police had also suspected suicide in that case, saying the bodies were several days old.
The man in that case, identified as Dr Umar, had reportedly been unemployed due to illness and was going through a financial crisis as a result.
