Mir Raza case: Judicial commission directs efforts to restore Bykea driver’s livelihood

The judicial commission investigating the death of young entrepreneur Mir Raza has ordered the investigating officer to reach out to Mir Raza's former landlord and Bykea company to assist in restoring his housing and livelihood, according to Aaj News on Friday. Bykea driver Ihsanullah informed the commission that Bykea had reclaimed the vehicle he was using, and that he had been evicted from his rental home.

The driver currently resides at Ferozabad police station. The commission recorded statements from Mir Raza's business partner Muhammad Abdullah, Ihsanullah, and DSP Arshad Afridi. The commission directed DSP Siraj Lashari to contact Bykea management and the landlord, assuring them that no coercive actions would be taken against them concerning the Mir Raza case.

Ihsanullah is not a suspect in the case but has cooperated fully with Mir Raza's family throughout the search for the missing entrepreneur. Mir Raza's lawyer, Jibran Nasir, stated that Ihsanullah had cooperated with the family and investigators from the beginning but was allegedly evicted by the police and lost access to the Bykea vehicle after becoming entangled in the case.

Nasir urged Bykea to independently reinstate the driver, criticizing society for penalizing those who have the courage to speak the truth. However, Bykea CEO Muneeb Maayr refuted Nasir's account, stating that the driver had rented the vehicle on a monthly basis through the company's fleet business. Maayr explained that the vehicle had been impounded and Ihsanullah detained by police for several weeks.

After the vehicle was returned, Bykea parked it due to its involvement in a high-profile incident, and removed it from their rental offerings. Maayr clarified that the driver was never banned from Bykea and could still drive any vehicle on their platform, but that there was currently no car available for rent as fleet cars are allocated to drivers for extended periods.

Nasir responded that the vehicle might have been handed over to Bykea because the police no longer treated it as case property or part of the crime scene, and that alternative solutions could be explored to safeguard the driver's livelihood.