• In his 62-page report, Justice Sial asks govt to form joint investigation team under DIG Irfan Baloch with officials of intelligence agencies, Rangers, NCCIA as its members ‘to restore public trust’
• Censures Sindh police over mishandling of investigation
• Calls for high-level probe into possible cover-up
• Sindh govt makes judicial body’s report public
KARACHI: Since a significant portion of physical evidence in the Mir Raza Ali death case has been compromised and the case can now only be resolved through an intelligence-based investigation, the judicial commission has recommended constituting a joint investigation team (JIT) as the most viable path to mitigate ongoing reputational damage to the provincial government.
In a 62-page report, released by the home department on Tuesday after the approval of the provincial cabinet, the commission head, Justice Omar Sial of the Sindh High Court, noted that regardless of whether the death was a suicide or a murder, the police were duty-bound to investigate it thoroughly and professionally.
“This case demonstrates an epic failure by the police in their investigation,” the report said, adding: “The police breached all required procedures, both knowingly and unknowingly, necessary to withstand judicial scrutiny and a successful prosecution.”
It said the overnight bureaucratic manoeuvring to change a special medical board was highly irregular, inexplicable and legally flawed. The commission suggested initiating an inquiry against the then special secretary of the health department, Shehryar Memon, for suddenly and without any reason changing the board.
‘JIT necessary to restore public trust’
“While unsolved crimes and complex murders occur globally, the Sindh government must firmly assure both the aggrieved family and the public that all future proceedings will be executed with absolute professionalism. Given these extraordinary circumstances, accommodating the family’s request for a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) is the most viable path to mitigate ongoing reputational damage to the Government of Sindh,” it added.
To balance the need for public accountability with preserving Sindh police morale and reputation, the commission recommended that a JIT, to be headed by DIG Irfan Baloch, be constituted and comprise representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Pakistan Rangers Sindh, and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency to ensure an impartial, comprehensive and credible resolution.
It noted this step is necessary to restore public trust and end speculation.
As the commission did not have investigative powers, it also stated that it was difficult to conclude with certainty that an active cover-up occurred.
The report said, “Indeed, certain inexplicable actions are difficult to justify and raise the possibility that one may have occurred at some stage. A high-level committee (preferably led by the FIA) should be constituted to inquire into whether any of the police officials involved in this probe in the first ten days are in breach of sections 201, 166(2) and 218 P.P.C. The committee should initiate criminal action, in addition to disciplinary proceedings, against those it finds culpable”.
‘Police must apologise’
“Furthermore, because a significant portion of physical evidence has been compromised, the case can now only be resolved
through a rigorous, intelligence-based investigation. To restore institutional credibility, the police must transparently acknowledge and apologise for past operational lapses, while immediately initiating formal inquiries against the responsible officers in light of the Commission’s observations”, it added.
While giving its observations about the police and health officials, the report also noted that no material lapse was found against Karachi police chief Azad Khan, but the investigating team members failed him, while the head of the current investigation team, DIG Amir Farooqui, has not performed to his potential, lacked leadership and supervision and, in some aspects, professional negligence as well as a lack of ownership of the investigation.
The report further observed that the DIG (East) Farukh Lanjar also lacked leadership and supervision, while he and DIG Farooqui, in their replies to the commission, were evasive, non-serious and stereotypical.
“If, after all that has been revealed in the Commission, DIG Farooqi is satisfied with the investigation, then it is cause for great concern. His position reflects denial and ego. Similarly, DIG Lanjar has taken a casual, non-serious, nonchalant position. As a DIG East, it was ultimately his responsibility - a responsibility he did not perform”, it added.
Change in medical board extremely controversial
The commission said, “The overnight bureaucratic manoeuvring was a highly irregular, inexplicable, legally flawed overreach dictated entirely from the upper echelons of the Sindh Health Secretariat, more specifically by the secretary and special secretary, health, while the DG health services, being aware that he was not legally competent to form a Medical Board for exhumation, looked the other way.
“The two gentlemen who directed the change in the Board could not give a cogent reason for the abrupt change, making it extremely controversial, fuelling public speculation, and embarrassing the Sindh Government.”
It stated that an inquiry must be initiated against Mr Memon for suddenly and without any reason changing the special medical board. Though he had claimed to have acted in good faith, there is no indication of good faith, and his directions appeared to be influenced. Regarding the secretary of the health department, Tahir Hussain Sangi, the commission noted that he lacked leadership and supervision.
It also held that SSP Samiullah Soomro, head of the first investigation team, was guilty of negligence, a casual approach to the investigation and did not consider the legal aspects of the case.
It further recommended that a comprehensive inquiry be initiated against SHO Ferozabad Adeel Afzaal and the first investigating officer of the case, Shabbir Laghari, leading to dismissal from service and said that Mr Afzaal must also be questioned to determine whether he has facilitated the destruction of key evidence.
The report also suggested disciplinary proceedings against the then SHO Gulistan-i-Jauhar, SHO Kamran Qureshi, for unprofessional and unlawful conduct. About the current IO of the case, DSP Siraj Lashari, the commission noted that he has not performed well in this case, missed important leads and did not verify or question previous investigations.
The commission noted that Medico-Legal Officer Dr Osama Shaikh, who conducted the first autopsy, showed extreme immaturity, childish behaviour and unprofessional conduct that was not befitting a medical professional.
He must not be assigned medico-legal duties unless he has undergone at least two years of rigorous academic and practical training, it said, and added that he may have been influenced, a possibility that must be conclusively determined.
Most suspicious parts of case
The commission noted that one of the most suspicious aspects of the case was Ali Shaz, who provided an eight-month-old voice note to ASP Nida Junaid, who then sent it to SSP Soomro. The note was subsequently leaked to the media. Shaz, coupled with ASP Nida, had played a very important role in supporting the police narrative that the death was due to suicide.
It also observed that the business partner of the victim Ahmed Bhardey and his brother Abdullah Bhardey knew much more than they have made known, and their conduct has raised suspicions.
The report further said that the lack of leadership and ownership of the investigation was clearly demonstrated, and the initial police response, crime scene securing, collection and preservation of evidence, recording of statements, preparation of seizure and recovery memos, other memos and the inquest report were all handled in an extremely unprofessional manner.
“This will make it very difficult to secure a successful prosecution. The case was damaged in the first week of this incident. In many situations, e.g., CCTV recordings, the lapses made will remain unrectifiable. No police officer took ownership of the case or led from the front. Dozens of police officers, most of whom were not properly assigned, conducted the investigation,” it added.
The commission noted that the possibilities of blackmail or a revenge killing should not be ruled out and that the nexus between Ali Shaz, ASP Nida Junaid, ASP Shahzeb Memon, and the special secretary Shahryar Memon must be explored deeply.
It stated that the crucial CCTV footage that had not been obtained must be looked into; the identities of the three Binance accounts, linked to the victim, with which maximum interaction took place, must be established and explored, and Meta should be pursued for the record of the Apple watch of the victim.
The data leakage and provision of evidence to certain social media channels should also be investigated. The investigation protocol needs to be addressed and modernised, and it must be made more trustworthy, credible and confidence-inspiring, as well as an increase in the investigation budget may be considered.
“If the government, in its wisdom, considers this suggestion favourably, then a multi-person, diverse committee of seasoned professionals should be constituted to specifically address first response, crime scene handling, medico-legal dynamics, collection, safekeeping, and analysis of evidence, and recording the entirety of the investigation in written or digital form. It would be ideal if the committee could complete this exercise within three months and implement the reform”, it concluded.
In August, the provincial government formed the judicial commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death and possible negligence in the case, as well as to make recommendations for further investigation and forensic analysis or legal/departmental action. After concluding the proceedings, the commission handed over its report along with other records to the Sindh government last week.
Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2026
