Grisly accidental discovery resolves 3-decade-old mystery

Human bones discovered during construction work at a house in Orangi Town have sparked a murder investigation after a woman and her brothers identified the remains as those of their mother, who went missing three decades ago.

According to police sources, digging for a water tank at a house in Gulshan-e-Bahar, Orangi Town, on April 10 led to the discovery of skeletal remains buried around six to seven feet underground. Alongside the bones, a dupatta and chappal were also found.

Shortly after the news spread, a woman named Asma and her brothers, Shah Jahaan and Ramzan, arrived at the location and claimed that the remains, along with the clothing items, belonged to their mother, Mumtaz Begum, who had reportedly been missing since 1995.

The family has accused their stepfather, Fareed Alam, of murdering Mumtaz Begum and secretly burying her body in the courtyard of their former house. Based on Asma's complaint, the Pakistan Bazaar police registered a case under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Investigators have yet to determine the exact time of death, although they estimate the incident might have occurred 30 years ago.