Mir Raza judicial commission wraps up; report to go to Sindh CM

Mir Raza judicial commission wraps up; report to go to Sindh CM

KARACHI: The judicial commission probing the death of young businessman Mir Raza Ali concluded its proceedings on Wednesday after 15 sittings and statements from 49 witnesses, though several key questions about the case remain unanswered. The Mir Raza judicial commission will now prepare its report and recommendations for the Sindh chief minister.

Commission head Justice Umar Sial of the Sindh High Court told Raza’s family their concerns had proved justified, noting that no government representative had contacted them during the proceedings.

Mir Raza judicial commission: 15 sittings, 49 witnesses

The final hearing became a searching examination of the police investigation. The commission questioned the handling of the crime scene, missing CCTV footage, leaked private chats, cryptocurrency transactions and conflicting medical opinions.

Investigating officer DSP Siraj Lashari said the probe was continuing to determine whether Raza died by suicide or was murdered. “Police could have easily picked up someone and beaten a confession out of them, but we want justice in this case,” he said.

Justice Sial pressed police on the crime scene’s preservation, noting dozens of officers had entered the area. “The crime scene was made a mess,” he remarked, questioning why no action had been taken against those responsible. He also questioned the police claim that the crime scene unit arrived within 15 minutes, asking: “Is the IG Sindh lying?”

Missing CCTV, conflicting medical reports and crypto trail

The commission heard five hours of CCTV footage from Masjid Khizra were missing, which the Citizens Police Liaison Committee blamed on an outdated surveillance system. Although the CPLC operates 46 cameras in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, the spot where the body was found lay outside their coverage, and Raza appeared on only three cameras.

A super medical board was proposed over discrepancies between the reports of Dr Usama and Dr Summaiya Syed. Justice Sial questioned why one doctor’s opinion carried so much weight when an eight-member board had conducted the post-mortem. “One Usama appears to outweigh everyone else,” he remarked.

The alleged leak of private chats between Raza and his fiancee Salwa also came under scrutiny. Lashari confirmed police had taken her phone and extracted the chats; the judge directed police to identify who leaked them, saying: “If a private chat has been leaked, it is a crime.”

Police also reported about Rs90 million in transactions through three cryptocurrency accounts linked to the case, with a shortfall of some Rs30 million. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency has been approached for details, while family counsel Jibran Nasir said bank records had identified three individuals.

The commission also questioned the role of Ali Shaz, named in connection with a voice note, and noted a guesthouse DVR found in SHO Adeel Afzal’s vehicle with mobile-phone footage he had recorded at the scene.

From missing person to murder case

Raza, 25, an IBA graduate and owner of the dessert shop Wafflix, went missing from Karachi’s PECHS area on July 28. His body was found the next day in bushes near a wedding hall in Gulistan-e-Johar.

Police initially treated the death as a possible suicide, but a court ordered a second post-mortem after the first report proved inconclusive. The exhumation found a firearm entry wound, multiple ante-mortem injuries and internal bleeding, and investigators began treating the case as murder.

The family alleged serious lapses in the handling of evidence and sought a joint investigation team. The Sindh High Court rejected the JIT plea but ordered an impartial and expeditious investigation. The judicial commission was constituted on August 24, and the Sindh cabinet extended its tenure on October 1.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mir Raza Ali?

A 25-year-old Karachi entrepreneur and IBA graduate who owned the dessert shop Wafflix. He went missing on July 28 and his body was found the next day in Gulistan-e-Johar.

What did the judicial commission examine?

The conduct of the police investigation, the crime scene, CCTV footage, medical reports, leaked private chats and cryptocurrency transactions linked to the case.

What happens next?

The commission will finalise its report and recommendations, which Justice Sial said would be placed at the disposal of the Sindh chief minister.