Mir Raza Ali murder case: 35 phone contacts questioned as police seek clues

Investigators are checking their links with the deceased as they continue searching for clues.

DSP Siraj Lashari, the newly appointed investigating officer, informed a judicial magistrate about the questioning. He said the call data record showed that the 35 people had been in contact with Mir Raza.

Police have not named an accused

The investigating officer told the court that no person had been formally named as an accused so far. He said the investigation was still in progress and more time was needed to reach a conclusion.

Police also need to collect forensic and medical reports before completing the investigation. The court allowed more time and directed the officer to submit a progress report on August 24.

Mir Raza was found dead after disappearance

Mir Raza Ali, a young businessman and IBA graduate, went missing on July 28. His bullet-riddled body was found a day later in bushes in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

DSP Lashari appeared before the court after taking charge of the investigation only two days earlier. He requested additional time to examine the evidence and complete other parts of the case.

Business partner gets bail extension

Meanwhile, a sessions court extended the interim pre-arrest bail of Mir Raza’s business partner Muhammad Ahmed Bhardey until August 24. He had earlier received bail against a surety of Rs100,000.

His lawyer, Khalid Mumtaz, told the court that his client feared arrest and was being harassed despite cooperating with investigators. He said the police had summoned his client to the crime scene instead of a police station.

Advocate Jibran Nasir, representing Mir Raza’s family, said the police had only summoned Bhardey along with around 35 other people as part of the investigation. The judge questioned why bail was being sought when Bhardey had not been named as an accused.

The court made clear that Bhardey must join the investigation whether or not he remains on bail. He told the court that he had been appearing at the police station whenever police called him.

The judge directed Bhardey not to leave the city while the investigation continues. His interim pre-arrest bail was then extended until August 24.

The questioning of 35 phone contacts shows that investigators are examining a wider circle around Mir Raza. However, police have not yet identified anyone as an accused.

The next progress report could provide a clearer picture of the evidence collected so far. For now, the investigation remains open and authorities are still working to determine who was responsible for the murder.

Also read: How Saudi Arabia’s new Hajj 2027 rules improve pilgrim services

Also read: Rs1,500 prize bond draw set for August 17 with Rs3 million top prize