Hundreds join funeral of Karachi family killed in UK fire

ESSEX: The funeral of Pakistani doctor and her five children who died in a house blaze here in Harlow was held on Wednesday amid emotional scenes as hundreds of people turned out to pay their respects to the tragic family.
Dr Sabah Usmani and her sons Sohaib, 11, Rayyan, 6, daughter Hira, 13, died on 15 October in Harlow as fire engulfed their end-of-terrace house. A third son, Muneeb, 9, and daughter Maheen, 3, both died in hospital. Father and husband Dr Abdul Shakoor was the only survivor who was joined by family members from Pakistan and the US for the funeral at Harlow Islamic Centre. Paramedics, firefighters, local school teachers and pupils, police officers who dealt with the blaze and members of Pakistani community organisations attended the funeral.
Imam Muhammed Saleem, who led prayers, reassured mourners that under Islamic tradition those killed by fire die as martyrs. He added: “We all belong to Allah. Whoever comes into this world has to also pass from this world. We have to live with that fact.” After the funeral prayers, the coffins were taken on a foot procession to the Parndon Wood Cemetery. Six hearses led the way and the smallest coffin belonged to Maheen, who was due to celebrate her fourth birthday this week. Members of the local Harlow community turned out in their hundreds to stand on both sides of the road to pay their respects. Dr Shakoor followed hearses and was joined by members of the community who had gathered in the small town since morning to show their solidarity with him.
Minister for Overseas Pakistani Dr Farooq Sattar attended the burial and laid flowers on the graves. He was joined by Nafees Zakaria from Pakistan High Commission. Both of them condoled with the family and conveyed the condolences on behalf of the government of Pakistan.
Zia Rehman from the centre told The News: “It’s great that members of the general public lined the streets from the Harlow Islamic Centre to Parringdon Road cemetery. It was a huge turnout and shows how much the family was well liked in the area. They were integrated and good ambassadors of their country of origin and their religion. This tragedy hit people across the community and of all faiths, we saw that everyone was part of the funeral.”
Essex Police initially treated the blaze as a suspected arson attack but no trace of an accelerant used to spark the flames has been found but officers continue to investigate all possibilities it is now thought “increasingly likely” the fire was a tragic accident. The Essex Police detective leading the investigation told The News that 50 officers and special staff are continuing to investigate the cause of a fatal house fire in Harlow. He said that in the history of Essex Police, seldom has there been an incident of this gravity in which five people from the same family lost their lives.
Originally from Karachi, the family lived in Saudi Arabia for more than a decade before moving to Manchester in 2009 and then the town of Harlow in Essex. Mr Shakoor was in the property at the time and fought hard to save his family in appalling conditions but failed to do anything.
It is understood Dr Shakoor was inside the house when the incredibly intense blaze started but had escaped by the time fire fighters arrived.