Pakistani actor Ayesha Khan passes away, body discovered a week later by neighbours due to foul smell; Here's what happened

Pakistani actor Ayesha Khan was found dead at her residence in Karachi on June 19. According to The Express Tribune, police and forensic teams believe she had died about a week earlier, with her body already in an advanced state of decomposition. Ayesha had a prolific career spanning nearly four decades, working in television shows, telefilms, and films. Her last known appearance was in the 2020 drama Soteli Maamta.

Neighbours alerted authorities after noticing a foul smell coming from her home. Her body was initially shifted to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre for a postmortem, but the procedure was paused pending the arrival of her son from abroad. Until then, her remains have been moved to the Edhi Foundation mortuary. Police sources told Dawn* that she may have died of natural causes, possibly after a fall while exiting her bathroom.

Who is Ayesha Khan

Born in 1948, Ayesha Khan was the elder sister of Khalida Riyasat, another iconic figure from the golden era of Pakistani television. The two shared an illustrious legacy with widely respected filmographies and dominated the television scene together until Khalida’s death from cancer in 1996.


Reports suggest that after stepping away from the entertainment industry, Ayesha became increasingly reclusive and led a largely private life. Despite that, her contributions to Pakistani drama remained significant. She was known for her roles in shows like Akhri Chattan, Tipu Sultan: The Tiger Lord, Dehleez, Daraarein, Bol Meri Machli, and Ek Aur Aasman. Her film appearances included Muskaan (2011) and Fatima (2012).

Following her death, tributes have poured in from across the entertainment industry. The President of the Arts Council of Pakistan described her passing as a great loss for Pakistani drama.