If you are dealing with the death of a child, multiple deaths, a suspicious death or a case of murder or manslaughter, call +92 51 201 2000 or +92 (21) 35827000.

Contacting the travel insurance company

If the person who died had insurance, contact their insurance company as soon as possible. ReadInsurance providers may help to cover the generalcost guidanceof onrepatriation. whatRepatriation tois dothe whenprocess someoneof diesbringing abroadthe ifbody you’rehome. notInsurance sureproviders ifmay theyalso hadhelp insurance.with medical, legal, interpretation and translation fees.

TheIf the person who died had insurance, the insurance company shouldwill appoint a funeral director inboth Pakistanlocally and in the UK.

What Theyto maydo alsoif coverthe person who died didn’t have insurance

If you are not sure whether the costperson ofwho bringingdied had insurance, check with their bank, credit card company or employer.

If the person’sperson bodywho died did not have insurance, a relative or a formally appointed representative will usually have to theappoint UKa (repatriation)funeral director and be responsible for all costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors and a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Pakistan.

The FCDO cannot help with any medical,costs. legal,In interpretationsome cases, funeral directors and translationlawyers fees.may provide services on a pro bono basis. Pro bono work is done for free or for a reduced cost, depending on your circumstances. This is decided on a case-by-case basis.

Charities and organisations that offer support

Some UK-based charities and organisations may be able to provide help and information to people affected by a death abroad. The FCDO provides a list of UK-based charities and organisations.

Registering the death and getting a death certificate

TheIn deathPakistan, you must beregister registeredthe atdeath with the local government authority of the district where the person died. This could be a Union Council, Municipal Committee or Metropolitan Corporation. You will then be given a death certificate which you can use for all legal matters relating to the person who died.

To register the death you will need:

• proof of identity for the person who died, for example their passport

• a ‘hospital-issued death certificate’ (if the death occurred in hospital) or a post-mortem report (if the cause of death is unknown or unnatural)

The hospital-issued death certificate can be inaccurate and cannot be used for legal matters.

If the death occurred outside hospital, a note entitled “Received/Brought Dead” is usually issued by the hospital which receives the body. You will need to send this along with a formal written request to register the death to the local authority.

The next of kin usually registers the death. AThis funeral director can also dobe thiscarried forout you.by a local firm of funeral directors. If you appoint a local funeral director to register the death,death on your behalf, you will also need to give them a ‘letter of authorisation’ stating that you authorise them to act on your behalf. The funeral director will tell you what the letter needs to include.

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If the deathperson occurredwho outsidedied hospital,suffered afrom notean entitledinfectious “Received/Broughtcondition, Dead”such isas usuallyhepatitis issuedor byHIV, you must tell the hospitallocal whichauthorities, receivesso thethey body.can Youtake willprecautions needagainst toinfection.

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You Englishusually andneed Urdu.the Thefollowing deathdocuments certificateto willkeep saythe whetherbody itat was a naturalmortuary:

• the passport or unnaturalPakistan deathIdentity butCard/NICOP willof notthe giveperson awho specificdied

• either cause.the It’sdeath worthcertificate askingissued forby extrathe copieshospital ofor the deathmedical certificate,report asfrom youthe mightattending needdoctor themdescribing tothe showapparent tocause peopleof later.death

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Aare postinvolved, mortemthe ismortuary awill medicalonly examinationstore the body with a letter of permission from the body.police.

Dealing Therewith mighta belocal onepost-mortem

Post-mortems inare Pakistanusually ifperformed when the cause of death is unknown, unnatural, sudden or violent. ThePost-mortems next of kin can also ask for a post mortem to be carried out.

Post mortems are carried out by forensic doctors appointed by the court. The post mortem is normally completed within 24 hours.

Cultural or religious sensitivities may not be taken into account. SmallThe FCDO cannot stop or interfere with the process.

During a post-mortem, small tissue samples and organs may be removed and retained for testing without the family’sconsent permission.of the family. You will not automatically be told if this happens.

You Wholecan organsalso willask notfor a post-mortem to be removed.carried out as the next of kin.

If samplesthe arebody removedis theyburied willlocally, normallythe post-mortem report can be disposedused ofto byregister thea laboratorydeath afterwith testing.

Posta mortemUnion reportsCouncil areor notother automaticallylocal givengovernment toauthorities.

The thepost-mortem nextis ofnormally kin.completed within 24 hours.

If you want a copy of the initial post-mortem report, you can make a written request to the local police station in Pakistan. A report is usually released within 2 to 3 days. However, detailed laboratory reports can take several months to be issued.

You Ifcan youask havefor a lawyerfull incopy Pakistan,of you can also ask them to contact the policereport forby acontacting copyone of the report.following:

Burying

• your orlocal crematingUK coroner if you bring the body inback Pakistan

Youto needthe aUK

the localBritish funeralHigh directorCommission toin arrangePakistan

the aForeign, burialCommonwealth orand cremationDevelopment Office in Pakistan.the UK

ToIf you have a locallawyer burial,in aPakistan, relativeyou orcan aalso formallyask appointedthem representativeto needscontact tothe appointpolice for a localcopy funeralof director.the Inreport.

If majoryou citiesbring suchthe asbody Islamabad,back to the graveyardUK, authoritiesthe willUK requirecoroner proofwill thatautomatically theassume personresponsibility whoand diedopen wasan residentinquest. inThe Pakistancoroner beforecan allocatinginvestigate athe burialcause plot.of Documentsdeath requiredand mayhelp includewith thetranslation IDand card,interpretation rentalof agreement,any ormedical deedsfindings.

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If for the person who died.

Yourdied funeralhad directorinsurance, canfind giveout youif advice.

Nottheir allinsurance citiesprovider incan Pakistanhelp havecover cremationthe facilities.cost Inof repatriation. Repatriation is the districtsprocess of Karachi,bringing Sheikhupurathe andbody Attock,home. cremationIf canso, bethey carriedwill outmake atall Hinduthe andnecessary Sikh temples.arrangements.

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Bringinginsurance, theyou bodywill need to theappoint UK

an international funeral director yourself.

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The the following documents:documents are usually required for repatriation of human remains:

• a letter from the British High Commission confirming that a ‘No Objection Certificate’ is not required: Information Note: Repatriation of Remains (PDF, 708 KB, 1 page)

• the

  a deathcopy certificateof issuedthe bypassport of the localperson governmentwho died

• a

  the copydeath ofcertificate issued by the passporthospital ofor the personlocal who diedauthority

• the embalming certificate

• a ‘No Objection Certificate’ to repatriate the body from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

YouIn mayaddition be able to use a hospital-issued death certificate instead of a death certificate issued by the localabove, government.airlines You can only do this if there is no sign that there was criminal involvement in the death. This will need to be verified by the local police.

Airlines may also ask for additional documents, which may include:

• employer’s letter if the person who died was employed locally

• police certificate stating that there is no police involvement or objection to the repatriation

• certificate of payment for repatriation costs

• letter to the Department of Customs requesting prior release of shipment

• a declaration stating that the coffin does not contain any restricted items

• contact details of the person or funeral director who will be collecting the remains on arrival

Bringing

Finding an international funeral director

A relative or a formally appointed representative must appoint a UK-based international funeral director for the ashesperson who died to be repatriated to the UKUK. The FCDO provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.

AskLocal yourfuneral directors will work with UK-based international funeral directordirectors aboutto meet all the rulesnecessary forrequirements bringingboth asheslocally and in the UK. This includes providing documents such as a local civil registry death certificate, a certificate of embalming and a certificate giving permission to transfer the remains to the UK.

BringingAdvice theand ashesfinancial assistance for repatriation

There are UK organisations and charities that may be able to offer assistance with repatriation.

Requesting a post-mortem in the UK yourself

If you arewant takingto have a post-mortem in the ashesUK withafter youthe whenbody youhas leavebeen Pakistanrepatriated, you can request one from a UK coroner. The coroner will needthen to:

• followdecide localif regulationsa aboutpost-mortem leavingis Pakistanneeded. withIf ashesyou -want yourthe funeralperson directorwho candied giveto be cremated, you moreneed information
• declareto apply for a certificate from the coroner (form ‘Cremation 6’).

  Bringing the ashes athome

  You should not have the airportperson andcremated handabroad themif overyou want a UK coroner to customsconduct officials

an inquest into their death.