Longtime Actress Found Dead in Her Home: Ayesha Khan Was 77

Pakistani actress Ayesha Khan has died at the age of 77.

The actress’ body was discovered in her apartment in Karachi’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal area Thursday, days after police believe she may have died, according to Arab News.

Khan had reportedly been living alone for several years. Her body was discovered this week after neighbors reported smelling a “foul odor” coming from the home. When someone went to check on the actress, they discovered her dead. It’s unclear when or how Khan passed, though police believe she likely died several days earlier and that she died of natural causes.

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“As per the station house officer, she passed away naturally,” Senior Superintendent of Police Dr. Farrukh Raza told Arab News.

Khan’s body was transported to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and later to Edhi Foundation’s mortuary at Sohrab Goth. Police said a post-mortem examination will be conducted at the request of her family. An investigation into Khan’s death is ongoing.

Born in 1948, Khan, the older sister of renowned TV actress Khalida Riyasat, rose to fame during the golden age of Pakistan Television (PTV), per Dawn. She is best remembered for her starring roles in shows such as Afshan, Aroosa, Family 93, Shaam Se Pehle, and Bandhan, as well as films including Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Muskaan, and Fatima.

Many of Khan’s colleagues in the entertainment industry paid tribute to her following her passing, with Adnan Siddiqui sharing a heartfelt tribute to Instagram.

“There are people you meet early in your journey who leave behind quiet but lasting imprints. For me, Ayesha Khan sahiba was one of those people,” he wrote. “I met her on the set of Uroosa, my very first drama; I was a rookie then, a true greenhorn with only a few modelling assignments and commercials to my name. She was my on-screen mother but brought a compassion reminiscent of a maternal figure, a presence that soothed, grounded and made a space feel more human.”

Siddiqui added, “Ayesha jee wasn’t just an actor; she was an atmosphere. And her absence will be deeply felt.”

Pakistani actress Anoushay Abbasi said Khan’s death was “devastating,” while actor Khaled Anam remembered her as a “legendary Pakistani actress” who for decades “graced our screens with iconic roles in Afshan, Aroosa, Family 93 (PTV classics), Mehndi, Naqab Zan, Bharosa Pyar Tera, Bisaat e Dil.”