Dr Hasan’s death natural unless autopsy says otherwise: daughter

Amid controversies surrounding Dr Hasan Zafar Arif’s death, his daughter Shehrazade has asked the public to believe it to be of natural causes unless “the post-mortem report says otherwise”.

“I hope those who read this understand that I of all people would be the last to cover up the truth about my father’s death,” she said in a Facebook post. Seventy-three-year-old Dr Hasan – a former associate professor of philosophy at the University of Karachi, a Harvard University fellow, a Marxist and the Pakistan chief for the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London – was found dead in his car in Ibrahim Hyderi on January 14.

“The media is portraying his death as a brutal murder and some are, disgracefully, putting up photoshopped images of his body [...] on social media with claims that he was tortured,” she commented.

“Certain people are trying to exploit his death for their own political agenda, while others are, out of a sense of love and admiration for him, trying to seek justice for what they believe to be a crime.”

The family examined his body thoroughly, she said. “There is not a single mark on him, and no indication whatsoever that he was tortured or that his death was unnatural.” There was blood on his face and shirt when his body was recovered. Shehrazade said she was told that nosebleeds were common after death as blood did not clot properly.

Refuting that the circumstances in which his father died were suspicious, she said “he was missing for one night, his car was found in an area he was known to frequent, and his mobile phones were likely stolen...”

She said the family had no reason to believe it was anything but a heart attack, adding that they were waiting for the post-mortem examination report to ascertain the fact. She was critical of the media, the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre’s staff and the police. “I never thought I would have to speak in such detail about my own father’s death, but the circumstances have left me no choice.”

She said her father’s body was disrespectfully treated as the hospital staff and police did not stop the media from taking pictures and making videos. She said her family was photographed with lack of respect, decency and empathy.

“I don’t think I need to point out how disrespectful this is towards his memory and his family, not to mention dishonest and unethical,” she said, adding: “I only want the public to know the facts rather than believing lies, propaganda and exaggeration.”

She asked people to stop posting images of her father’s body and to take down those already posted. She also asked people to stop sharing inaccurate reports and sending them to her family as well as harassing them in this difficult time.

“My father was not a victim, and I do not want him to be remembered as such. I will not allow his legacy to be based on lies. He belonged not only to me, but also to the people of Pakistan, whom he fought so hard for throughout his life.”

Shehrazade contended that unfortunately, what should have been a private tragedy has become a public spectacle, and for this reason she felt that certain things needed to be publicised in order for the world to know the truth, so she wrote the Facebook post.