The Sindh government is preparing to form a joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the death of Mir Raza Ali. Sindh Home Minister Zia Lanjar said the team would work under the supervision of DIG Irfan Baloch. He added that legal and administrative issues surrounding its formation had been resolved. The government will now send a summary to Sindh Chief Minister for final approval.
Read More: Commission points finger at police ‘failure’, says Mir Raza was murdered
Meanwhile, Lanjar said authorities had formed a separate committee under DIG Zulfiqar Larak. The committee will recommend action against police officers based on the judicial commission’s findings. It will review the commission’s recommendations before proposing any disciplinary measures. According to the home minister, Mir Raza’s family satisfied with the commission’s findings and recommendations.
The judicial commission raised serious concerns about the original police investigation into Mir Raza’s death. It questioned how investigators handled medical and digital evidence. It also challenged the initial conclusion that Mir Raza had died by suicide. Therefore, the commission recommended forming a new JIT to examine every aspect of the case and conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Justice Umar Sial headed the commission, which submitted its 70-page report to the chief minister on October 15. The commission held 20 meetings between August 27 and October 7. During this period, it recorded statements from 50 witnesses. Initially, police classified Mir Raza’s death as suicide based on a preliminary post-mortem report. However, his family challenged that conclusion and cited alleged marks of violence on his body.
Read More: Judicial commission recommends JIT for Mir Raza case
Later, the police surgeon identified shortcomings in the initial post-mortem report and recommended another examination. Authorities re-examined Mir Raza’s body on August 8. The final report identified a bullet wound entering from the back as the cause of death. Consequently, the commission said investigators should not conclude suicide while medical evidence remained contradictory. It criticised police for maintaining their initial position despite conflicting findings and failing to meet basic investigative standards. The proposed JIT is expected to examine these concerns further.