Sindh High Court reviews probe into Mir Raza Ali death

The Sindh High Court has issued a written order regarding the death of Karachi businessman Mir Raza Ali, questioning the authority to form a judicial commission and its ability to oversee investigations. The court has summoned the Advocate General, Prosecutor General, and Deputy Attorney General of Sindh for the next hearing on August 31.

Justice Omar Sial has been appointed to head the judicial commission established by the Sindh government to examine whether authorities mishandled the case. Mir Raza Ali, a 25-year-old business owner, was found dead in July with a gunshot wound. While police initially treated the incident as a suicide, subsequent medical examinations and a second post-mortem identified deficiencies in the initial report and found injuries inconsistent with the suicide narrative.

The victim’s family, represented by lawyer Jibran Nasir, has challenged the formation of the judicial commission, demanding instead a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising multiple agencies, including the Rangers and the Federal Investigation Agency. The family alleges that the crime scene was not properly preserved, witnesses were not recorded promptly, and evidence was mishandled.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab defended the government’s decision to form the commission, stating that justice would ultimately be delivered through the courts. However, Mir Raza’s father, Mir Hussain Ali, expressed dissatisfaction, stating the family was not consulted before the commission was announced and reiterated the demand for a JIT to ensure a transparent investigation.