Mir Raza murder case: Sindh forms new JIT with ISI and IB officials
The decision follows recommendations from a judicial commission that criticised the police investigation. The new team will examine the case and include officials from several law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
New JIT formed to investigate the murder
According to an official letter, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Ali Baloch will lead the JIT. Its members will include representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Sindh Rangers and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Mir Raza was an Institute of Business Administration (IBA) graduate who ran a waffle-making business. He left his home in Karachi’s PECHS area early on July 28, and his family reported him missing that day.
His body was found the following morning within the area covered by Gulistan-e-Johar Police Station. The circumstances surrounding his death led to an investigation and the formation of a judicial commission.
Judicial commission criticises police investigation
The judicial commission recommended forming a JIT after describing the police investigation as an "epic failure". The commission was headed by Sindh High Court judge Justice Omar Sial.
The commission said the police had failed to follow proper procedures needed to ensure a strong investigation. It also raised concerns about whether the investigation could meet legal requirements and support a successful prosecution.
The Sindh Home Department has sent the commission’s findings and recommendations to the provincial Inspector General of Police (IGP). These include recommendations from a provincial cabinet subcommittee about action against police officers named in the report.
Action recommended against medico-legal officer
In a separate letter to the provincial health secretary, the Home Department recommended removing Dr Osama Sheikh from his position and requiring him to complete two years of training. Dr Osama, a medico-legal officer, had conducted the initial post-mortem examination of Mir Raza.
The recommendations form part of the wider review of how the case was handled. The relevant authorities will need to consider the proposed action and follow the applicable procedures.
More committees to review the case
The Sindh government has also decided to establish another investigation committee led by a senior Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer. It has asked the federal interior ministry to nominate an officer of Grade 20 or above to head the proposed committee.
DIG Irfan Ali Baloch and DIG Naeem Ahmed Shaikh are also expected to join this committee. Their proposed roles will form part of a wider effort to examine the case and the handling of the investigation.
Separately, Additional Inspector General of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Zulfiqar Ali Larik has been appointed to lead a one-member committee reviewing the roles of police officers and personnel named in the judicial commission’s report. DIG Baloch will assist him in examining their conduct and overall policing performance.
The review will also examine Inspector Ghaus’s role in the burning of the crime scene. The findings could help authorities assess whether any further action against the officers involved is necessary.
The formation of several investigation teams shows that the handling of Mir Raza’s murder remains under close review. Their findings may help identify failures in the original investigation and determine whether further action is needed, but any responsibility must be established through evidence and due process.
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