KARACHI — The Sindh government has formally constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the murder of young businessman Mir Raza Ali, acting on recommendations from a judicial commission that sharply criticised the police investigation and called for further scrutiny of the case.
The Sindh Home Department has issued letters to relevant institutions seeking nominations for the JIT, which will be headed by DIG Irfan Ali Baloch. The team will include senior representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Pakistan Rangers Sindh and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The departments concerned have been asked to nominate officers of Grade 18 or above to serve on the team.
Background of the Case
The case was registered at Karachi’s Ferozabad Police Station. A single-member judicial commission headed by Sindh High Court judge Justice Umar Sial had earlier submitted its report on the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza’s death. The Home Department formed the JIT on the commission’s recommendation.
Mir Raza, an IBA graduate who ran a waffle-making business, left his home in Karachi’s PECHS area in the early hours of July 28. His family reported him missing later that day, and his body was recovered the following morning within the jurisdiction of Gulistan-e-Johar Police Station.
Commission Cites Procedural Failures
The judicial commission had recommended the formation of a JIT after describing the police investigation as an “epic failure”. It observed that investigators had failed to follow procedures necessary to ensure the case could withstand judicial scrutiny and support a successful prosecution.
In a separate development, the Home Department has written to the Sindh inspector general of police (IGP), forwarding the commission’s observations along with recommendations made by a provincial cabinet subcommittee regarding action against police officers named in the report.
Action Against Medico-Legal Officer Recommended
The provincial government has also initiated steps concerning the medico-legal examination conducted after Mir Raza’s death. In a letter to the health secretary, the Home Department recommended removing Dr Osama Sheikh from his position and requiring him to undergo two years of training. Dr Sheikh, a medico-legal officer, had conducted the initial post-mortem examination of the deceased businessman.
Additional Committees Formed
Meanwhile, the Sindh government has decided to establish another investigation committee headed by a senior Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer to examine the case further. The provincial government has written to the federal interior ministry, requesting the nomination of an FIA officer of Grade 20 or above to lead the proposed committee.
DIG Irfan Baloch and DIG Naeem Ahmed Shaikh are also expected to serve on the proposed committee, according to the information provided.
Separately, a one-member committee comprising Additional Inspector General of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Zulfiqar Ali Larik has been formed to review the roles of police officers and personnel mentioned in the judicial commission’s report.
According to the notification, DIG Baloch will assist Larik in the review. The committee will assess the overall performance of the officers and personnel named in the report and examine their handling of the investigation.
The inquiry will also include further scrutiny of Inspector Ghaus’s role in the burning of the crime scene. The committee is expected to submit a report containing its findings and recommendations to the Sindh IGP.
The formation of the JIT and the additional committees marks a further step in the investigation into Mir Raza’s death, with authorities examining the original police probe, the conduct of personnel involved and the recommendations made by the judicial commission.
