KARACHI: The Sindh government on Saturday constituted a joint investigation team (JIT), led by DIG Irfan Baloch, and asked the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Pakistan Rangers and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to nominate senior officers to join the team to probe the death of Mir Raza Ali.

According to officials, the home department has written to the ISI, IB, NCCIA and Rangers in compliance with the recommendations of a single-member judicial commission led by Justice Omar Sial of the Sindh High Court, which was formed to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza’s death and possible negligence in the case.

In official correspondence, the home department specifically sought the nomination of a senior NCCIA officer with expertise in digital forensics, as the investigation involves the analysis of mobile phone, Apple Watch, iCloud, social media and cryptocurrency records.

DIG Irfan Baloch to lead joint investigation team; inquiries ordered against policemen and health official

Inquiry against police officers

The provincial government, through the home department, also wrote to the Sindh police chief, asking him to take action against police officials found responsible for negligence by the judicial commission.

In its 62-page report, submitted to the government on Oct 15, the commission had also suggested the suspension of SHO Ferozabad Adeel Afzal and investigation officer Shabbir Leghari, and the initiation of inquiries that could lead to their dismissal from service or other disciplinary action, over alleged criminal negligence.

It further recommended an inquiry against then Gulistan-i-Jauhar SHO Kamran Qureshi, who is now suspended, over possible facilitation of the destruction of evidence. It also recommended the suspension of Inspector Ghaus and an inquiry against him over the burning of the crime scene.

The commission also criticised several other police officers for their alleged lack of supervision, unprofessional behaviour, adopting a tunnel-vision approach and taking the case casually.

Inquiry against health official

The home department has also written to the Sindh chief secretary to initiate an inquiry into the conduct of Special Secretary-Health Shehryar Memon for changing the medical board tasked with exhuming Mir Raza’s body without any apparent reason. The commission believed that he had not acted in good faith and was “influenced”.

In a letter to the Sindh health secretary, the provincial government conveyed the decision of a cabinet sub-committee, constituted to implement the judicial commission’s recommendations, in light of its observations.

Under the decision, medico-legal officer (MLO) Dr Osama would be suspended and proceeded against under the Efficiency and Discipline (E&D) Rules.

While recommending two years of rigorous training for the MLO, the commission also called for an assessment of whether he had been “influenced”.

Separately, the health secretary has been asked to implement the Sindh Medico-Legal Act 2023 in letter and spirit, and frame rules in accordance with the commission’s recommendations.

FIA to probe cover-up

The home department, through the Ministry of Interior, has asked the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to nominate a Grade-20 officer to lead an inquiry into the possible cover-up by several police officers involved in the initial investigation of the Mir Raza case during its first 10 days.

According to the commission’s findings, certain actions were inexplicable and “difficult to justify”.

The commission recommended an FIA inquiry to determine whether certain police officers were involved in breaches of Sections 201, 166(2) and 218 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

In compliance with the commission’s recommendations, the provincial government has constituted a one-member committee headed by Zulfiqar Ali Larik, additional IG of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), to examine the conduct of each official involved in the case. The CTD chief would be assisted by DIG Irfan Baloch.

Under its terms of reference (ToRs), the committee would examine each officer or official named in the commission’s report and assess their leadership qualities and efficiency in light of the specific observations recorded against them.

It would also evaluate their overall policing performance and further examine Inspector Ghaus’s role in the burning of the crime scene. The committee has been directed to submit its findings and recommendations on each officer or official to the Sindh police chief.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2026