Sindh govt decides constituting judicial commission to probe Mir Raza Ali's killing

• Investigation team changed, DIG Amir Farooqi appointed as head.
• Family to be allowed to nominate police officers for investigation.
• No evidence yet of high-profile personality behind killing: minister.

Sindh Home Minister Zia Lanjar on Sunday said that it would form a judicial commission headed by high court judges to investigate the killing of young businessman Mir Raza Ali following the exhumation of his body.

Speaking on Geo News programme 'Naya Pakistan', he said a meeting had been held with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah regarding the case, during which the decision to constitute a judicial commission was taken.

"We will have this case investigated by high court judges," he said, adding that he considered the formation of a judicial commission a necessity of the time.

Ali’s body was found in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi last month, a day after he went missing on July 28.

During the programme, Lanjar said he had also changed the investigation team, with DIG Amir Farooqi appointed as the new team head. He said the family had been informed that any police officer they recommended would be included in the investigation team.

"The government stands with the people — it is the government's duty to deliver justice," he said, adding that the government shared equally in the grief of Mir Raza's family.

He said that so far nothing had emerged to suggest a high-profile personality was behind the killing.

Responding to a question regarding police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed's objections, Lanjar said she should have approached the government if she believed the post-mortem had been conducted incorrectly.

Lanjar said Dr Samia should have informed the government that the post-mortem report was inaccurate. "The government was facing criticism because Dr Samia had failed to inform her superiors about the shortcomings," he added.

A five-member investigation committee had been formed following the exhumation of Mir Raza Ali's body. According to a notification, DIG Amir Farooqi was named as committee head, with SSP Rapid Response Force Ali Raza appointed as its secretary. The committee also includes SP Investigation Korangi Qais Khan, Central SP Investigation Anum Tajammul and an officer from the Special Investigation Unit Zaman Town.

The new committee was formed on the instructions of Sindh IGP Javed Alam Odho after the previous committee was dissolved.

Speaking to journalists separately, Lanjar said that a letter would be sent to the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court on Monday, requesting the formation of the judicial commission.

He said the government wanted the case to reach its logical conclusion and urged Mir Raza Ali's parents to place their trust in the process. He added that even a small piece of evidence could play an important role in solving a major case.

The minister said the judicial commission would review the two medical reports received in the Mir Raza case. He added that the matter of conflicting reports would be left for the commission or the court to decide.

Lanjar acknowledged that the initial crime scene had not been preserved in the required manner. He said the more the matter was debated publicly, the greater the controversy would become, urging that the judicial commission be allowed to determine the facts.

He said the government wanted to remain impartial in the matter and bring the facts to light. "Even if there is 1% doubt in any case, the investigation should be 100%," he said.

The minister said the direction of an investigation could change over time and that an investigation did not end at any particular stage.

He further said that neither the inspector general nor any other officer's opinion was final, adding that the investigation was still ongoing.

Lanjar said the judicial commission would cooperate with and oversee the new investigation team.

Post-mortem findings

Mir Raza Ali's body was exhumed for a post-mortem examination, after which he was reburied at the graveyard near Tariq Road.

The initial medical report — a copy of which is available with Geo News — provided answers to all 14 points raised during the examination by police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed.

According to sources, the report revealed that Ali sustained a gunshot wound from the rear, while marks of violence were found across his body. Ali's ribs were found to be fractured, and multiple injury marks were identified on his head and face.

Black marks were also found on his body, along with injury marks on his feet and blood stains on tissues in the lower part of his body.

A fracture and injury measuring approximately 12 centimetres in length were identified on his right thigh. The report also found evidence of a deep injury and fracture in the jaw area, along with injuries to the nasal bone and various parts of his face. Multiple severe injuries were found in the chest area, including a fracture of the sixth rib.