In Karachi, a judicial commission has summoned involved parties for a crucial meeting on Friday to delve into the circumstances surrounding the murder of Mir Raza Ali, as confirmed by a spokesperson on Thursday. Ali, a 25-year-old entrepreneur from Karachi, was discovered dead with a gunshot wound in Gulistan-e-Jauhar last month, just a day after he went missing. Despite the victim’s family’s objections, the provincial government moved forward with the decision to establish a judicial commission to reassess the investigation into his death.
Justice Omar Sial, heading the commission, has issued notifications to the concerned parties, including Ali’s family, the Sindh government’s representative, and the family’s lawyer, Advocate Jibran Nasir. The businessman vanished from his residence in PECHS, Block-2, on July 28, and was found dead the following day. The Ferozabad police registered a case based on the complaint by Ali’s father, Mir Husain Ali, under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The Sindh government announced plans to request the chief justice of the provincial high court to form a judicial commission to ensure the investigation’s fairness and legality. However, Ali’s family, represented by Advocate Nasir, quickly filed a petition in the Sindh High Court challenging the formation of the commission. They requested the creation of an independent joint investigation team (JIT) comprising various law enforcement and intelligence agencies under a leader of impeccable integrity.
Ali, an Institute of Business Administration graduate, was initially suspected by police to have committed suicide. However, murder charges were added to the investigation following a second autopsy that contradicted the initial findings. This autopsy revealed multiple injuries, including a gunshot wound to the back, eliminating the possibility of suicide. Discrepancies in the initial medico-legal report prompted a judicial magistrate to order the exhumation of Ali’s body.
The Sindh health department initially formed an eight-member medical board to oversee the exhumation, but changes to the board’s composition led to a delay. Ali’s family rejected the revised board, accusing authorities of obfuscating the investigation. Following the restoration of the original board, Ali’s body was exhumed on August 8, and the investigation was transferred to Zaman Town police station.
Despite the government’s announcement to form a judicial commission, Ali’s family expressed their confidence in the revised investigation team and urged Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to directly oversee the case. They also called for an inquiry into the previous investigation team’s conduct. In response, the provincial government declared its intention to form a judicial commission to ensure the investigation was conducted properly, though Ali’s family objected to this decision and planned to contest it in court.
