A judicial commission looking into the death of businessman Mir Raza Ali has started its work in Karachi. The commission has called the medico-legal officer, police officials and ambulance drivers for questioning as the probe gets underway.
Sindh High Court Justice Omar Sial expressed sympathy to the family when they appeared before the commission. Lawyer Jibran Nasir, who represents the family, had earlier rejected the Sindh government’s move to set up the commission. He said it was formed without consulting the late businessman’s relatives.
Mir Raza Ali, an IBA graduate and businessman, was found dead in Gulistan-e-Jauhar a day after he went missing on July 28. His father has repeatedly said his son was murdered and has rejected any suggestion of suicide.
During the first hearing, Ali’s father, mother and sister appeared before the commission. Nasir was also present. Mir Hussain, the father, openly said he had little confidence in the ongoing investigation into his son’s death.
Justice Sial told the family that everything in the judicial commission would take place in the open. He said previous steps had happened behind closed doors. The judge explained that the commission would look into questions raised by the family. It would also examine flaws in the investigation, police performance and any negligence under its terms of reference.
He made it clear that the commission’s job was not to investigate the crime itself but only to identify mistakes. Justice Sial also promised he would not meet anyone privately during the proceedings, even if the Sindh chief minister requested a meeting.
Nasir told the commission that the earlier investigation team had shown criminal negligence. He said the body was found on July 29 and the family reached the spot around 1.30pm. No senior police officer arrived between 11.30am and 1.30pm. Two policemen came around 12.15pm but their names were never shared.
The body was taken by ambulance to Jinnah Hospital for post-mortem. Medico-legal officer Dr Osama Sheikh carried out the examination. A missing-person case had been registered at 3.15pm on July 28 after a nursery worker informed the police.
The commission has summoned the two nursery workers who first saw the body, the two policemen who reached the scene, the ambulance drivers and Dr Sheikh. It also asked about CCTV footage. Nasir said only partial mosque camera video was shown and the full footage was never given to the family.
Justice Sial ordered the Sindh government to submit all documents by the next day. He asked for lists of police officers and doctors, witness statements, medical reports and original papers. The judge also directed that an advertisement seeking public information be published in Urdu, English and Sindhi newspapers. The government will be asked to announce a Rs100,000 reward for useful information.
Nasir further informed the commission that a case had been registered against 20 people who had stood on Shahrah-e-Faisal and raised slogans for justice. The next hearing is set for September 1.
