Pakistan accounts for a significant number of British deaths abroad, mainly through the large British Pakistani community visiting family. Many cases involve a choice that is less common elsewhere: whether to bury in Pakistan, often in an ancestral village, or repatriate to the UK. This guide answers the questions families ask.
For the full process and High Commission detail, see our complete guide to repatriation from Pakistan. This article focuses on the practical questions.
The burial choice
For many British Pakistani families, the first question is not how to repatriate but whether to. A local burial can be arranged quickly in Pakistan in line with Islamic practice, and where there is an ancestral family connection, some families choose to lay their relative to rest there. Others want the burial in the UK so family at home can attend and visit the grave.
Neither choice is more correct, and a coordinator can talk through both routes and what each involves.
Timelines, the NOC, and documents
Where the family chooses repatriation, a typical case takes 7 to 14 days. The documentation includes the death certificate, the no objection certificate from the authorities, and the British High Commission paperwork. Obtaining the NOC is one of the steps that takes time.
International flights run from Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, so a death in a smaller city or rural area involves a domestic transfer to one of these hubs before the flight to the UK.
Embalming and Muslim preferences
Many Muslim families prefer that embalming is avoided. Where the airline and receiving requirements allow, a sealed, refrigerated container can be used in place of embalming. This depends on the specific route, and a coordinator experienced in Muslim repatriation will know what is possible. Some cases will still require embalming.
For further guidance, see our articles on Muslim repatriation requirements and ghusl and repatriation from Asia: realistic timeline expectations.