Mir Raza’s murder established by second post-mortem, judicial report says
A judicial commission investigating the mysterious death of Mir Raza Ali has concluded that the second post-mortem report established that he was murdered, while criticising the police’s initial investigation as unprofessional and marred by serious shortcomings.
The commission, headed by Sindh High Court Justice Umar Sial, recommended forming a joint investigation team (JIT) comprising representatives of the Sindh Police, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Sindh Rangers and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to ensure a transparent and comprehensive investigation.
The report also recommended departmental inquiries and criminal proceedings against police officers found responsible for investigative lapses. It urged Sindh Police to acknowledge its shortcomings and apologise to the public, saying the failures had severely undermined public confidence in the force.
The Sindh cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday, approved making the judicial inquiry report public and directed that it be published on the Sindh Home Department’s website.
According to the report, 25-year-old Mir Raza went missing on July 28 after leaving his home in Karachi. His family reported his disappearance to the Ferozabad police station the same day. His body was found on July 29 within the jurisdiction of the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police station.
Police initially treated the death as suicide, but the family challenged that conclusion, pointing to marks of violence on the body. After shortcomings were identified in the initial post-mortem examination, a court ordered the exhumation of the body on August 8 for a second post-mortem.
The second post-mortem report ruled out suicide and found that Mir Raza had been shot from behind. Following the findings, murder and evidence-destruction provisions were added to the case.
The commission said police had reached conclusions before completing the investigation, relying on unverified messages and selected video clips. It described the police’s continued adherence to the suicide theory despite the second post-mortem findings as unprofessional.
The report recommended a high-level inquiry, to be headed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), into the role of senior police officers during the first 10 days of the investigation.
It said some senior officers had overlooked serious investigative shortcomings, while records of questioning key individuals had not been maintained in several instances. The commission recommended departmental proceedings against the responsible officers and criminal action under relevant laws if offences were established.
The commission also said the possibility that evidence had been concealed during the initial investigation could not be completely ruled out. However, it added that the available information was insufficient to reach a definitive conclusion on whether facts had deliberately been withheld.
Medical board’s restructuring questioned
The report raised questions over the sudden restructuring of the medical board formed to oversee the exhumation and second post-mortem.
According to the commission, an eight-member board headed by Dr Samia Syed was constituted on August 6. However, the Sindh Health Department reduced its membership to five the following day.
The exhumation was postponed after Mir Raza’s family rejected the revised board. The original eight-member board was subsequently restored following public pressure and a legal notice, allowing the exhumation to proceed on August 8.
The commission described the change as unlawful and inexplicable, saying senior health department officials had ordered it but failed to provide a reasonable justification. The report also referred to the roles of the health secretary and special secretary in the matter.
No evidence of pressure on witnesses by CM
The commission also examined a meeting of police officers held at the Chief Minister’s House on August 9, attended by Dr Usama, who had conducted the first post-mortem.
According to the report, Dr Usama attended the meeting at the request of a senior Karachi police officer. The commission found no evidence that the chief minister had attempted to influence or pressure witnesses during the meeting.
It observed that the chief minister was entitled to seek a briefing from police officials on the case, but said inviting the police surgeon would have been more appropriate to ensure transparency.
Commission calls for restoring public trust
The report warned that investigative failures had severely undermined public confidence in the police, adding that even the arrest of the actual perpetrator might not be enough to fully restore that trust.
It urged the Sindh government to reassure the affected family and the public that the investigation would be transparent. The commission said key physical evidence had been compromised, making a comprehensive, intelligence-led investigation necessary to bring the case to a logical conclusion.
It stressed that involving multiple investigative and intelligence agencies could help ensure an impartial and thorough probe and dispel speculation surrounding the death.
The commission held 15 hearings, recorded statements from 49 witnesses and visited the site where Mir Raza’s body was found. It reviewed the police investigation, medico-legal procedures and alleged negligence in the handling of the case.
The commission completed its proceedings in the first week of October and submitted its detailed report to the Sindh government on October 15.
The Sindh cabinet has formed a four-member subcommittee to oversee implementation of the report’s recommendations. The committee comprises Provincial Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Minister Saeed Ghani and Sindh Advocate General.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has also directed that a copy of the report be provided to Mir Raza’s family.