A businessman in Karachi allegedly staged his own death to escape creditors after police uncovered dramatic new details in the investigation into a burnt body found inside a car in Surjani Town.

Police said the charred body recovered from the vehicle on Monday did not belong to rice trader Zeeshan Naz, despite initial claims.

Investigators now suspect the businessman orchestrated the incident to fake his death and evade debts amounting to Rs550 million.

According to police, the body found in the vehicle has been identified as Qurban Hussain, a resident of Muzaffargarh.

Authorities are investigating how he ended up in the car and the circumstances surrounding his death.

Investigators said the body was allegedly set on fire along with the vehicle at an isolated location in Surjani Town to make it appear that Zeeshan Naz had died in the incident.

Police have taken Zeeshan Naz’s wife into custody after she identified the charred body as her husband. However, the trader’s brothers refused to confirm the identification, raising suspicion over the circumstances of the case.

Officials said Zeeshan Naz’s mobile phone, wallet, ATM cards and other personal documents were recovered from the vehicle.

A video related to his purported death was also found during the investigation.

Police believe the trader may have deliberately left his belongings in the car before disappearing.

Investigators suspect he is now in hiding after staging his death to avoid repayment of his debts.

Search efforts are underway to trace Zeeshan Naz, while police continue to investigate the identity of the deceased and determine who was involved in planning and executing the alleged plot.

Authorities said further legal action will depend on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.