KARACHI: The Sindh government on Saturday formed a joint investigation team (JIT), headed by DIG Irfan Baloch, to investigate the death of young entrepreneur Mir Raza Ali, acting on the recommendations of a judicial commission.
According to an official communication, the JIT will include senior representatives of intelligence agencies, Pakistan Rangers Sindh and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The provincial government has written to the relevant institutions, requesting them to nominate officers of Grade 18 or above to join the team.
In a related development, the Sindh Home Department has written to IG Sindh regarding action against police officers named in the judicial commission’s report that pointed out the police’s epic failure in their investigation.
The Home Department has separately written to the secretary of health regarding the commission’s observations.
Mir Raza Ali’s body was found in Gulistan-e-Jauhar on July 29. An initial post-mortem examination was conducted, followed by a second examination after his body was exhumed.
The judicial commission investigating his death had raised serious questions about the police investigation, the handling of medical and digital evidence, and the initial conclusion that he had died by suicide. It recommended the formation of a new JIT to conduct a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of the case.
The 70-page report, headed by Justice Umar Sial, was submitted to the Sindh chief minister on October 15. The commission held 20 meetings between August 27 and October 7 and recorded statements from 50 witnesses.
According to the report, police initially declared Mir Raza’s death a suicide on the basis of the preliminary post-mortem report. His family challenged the conclusion, pointing to marks of violence on his body and other evidence.
The police surgeon subsequently identified shortcomings in the initial post-mortem report and recommended a second examination. Mir Raza’s body was re-examined on August 8, and the final report identified a bullet wound entering from the back as the cause of death.
Mir Raza case: JIT formation summary to be sent to CM Sindh for final approval
The commission observed that it was inappropriate to conclude that the death was a suicide while disregarding contradictions in the medical evidence.