Mir Raza murder case: SHC reserves order on family's plea seeking JIT

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has reserved its decision on a plea requesting the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) for the Mir Raza Ali murder case. Ali, a 25-year-old businessman from Karachi, was discovered dead with a gunshot wound in Gulistan-i-Jauhar on July 29, a day after he was reported missing on July 28. His family has questioned the case investigation and accused authorities of attempting to conceal the truth, leading them to file a petition with the SHC last week against a decision by the provincial government to establish a judicial commission instead.

The commission was headed by Justice Omar Sial. A two-member constitutional bench, presided over by Justice Adnan Karim Memon, heard the family’s plea on Monday. The Shindh advocate general, prosecutor general, Karachi police surgeon, police officials, the investigating officer, Ali’s family, and their counsel Jibran Nasir participated in the hearing.

Nasir reiterated his demand for a JIT, to which the court asked about the difference between a JIT and a judicial commission. The state’s lawyer explained that a JIT would investigate the case from multiple perspectives, while a commission could provide assistance in the investigation. Nasir pointed out that police officers had destroyed evidence and spread false news through the media.

He also alleged that no statements were recorded several days after the case was registered and that the crime scene was damaged. Nasir demanded departmental action against the officers responsible for destroying the evidence. The Sindh advocate general informed the court that the commission’s responsibility was to investigate negligence in the investigation process.

Nasir claimed that the Supreme Court has previously granted permission to form a JIT when there was administrative sabotage. He emphasized that there is sabotage at the highest levels of the police in this case. The Sindh advocate general clarified that the provincial government was not against the family. Upon hearing the arguments, the court decided to reserve its order on the petition.