Sindh defers judicial probe into Mir Raza killing after family backs new police team

The Sindh government has deferred its plan to establish a judicial commission to investigate the killing of Mir Raza Ali, according to Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar. Lanjar explained that the family of the victim had expressed confidence in the newly constituted police investigation team, which prompted the government to reverse its initial decision to hold a judicial inquiry.

The decision to form a new police investigation team was made a day after Ali's family counsel, Jibran Nasir, stated that the family neither requested nor consented to a judicial commission. Nasir urged the Sindh government not to interfere with the investigation and cautioned against creating hurdles in the name of "facilitation."

The government had sought the advice of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court to form the judicial commission, which was to examine two medical reports and any discrepancies between their findings. The case has been under scrutiny following Ali's exhumation and a second post-mortem, which revealed a firearm injury, multiple ante-mortem wounds, and signs of internal bleeding.

The bullet had fractured Ali's sixth rib and caused internal bleeding, while injuries were also recorded on various parts of his head, face, neck, and chest. Police had initially registered the case under Section 365, relating to kidnapping, but subsequently added Section 302 for murder.