KARACHI: During the Sindh High Court judicial commission proceedings into the death of Karachi-based merchant Mir Raza, presided over by Justice Umar Sial, alarming revelations regarding police pressure, fabricated suicide narratives, and grave procedural lapses came to light. Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya revealed that she faced intense pressure and threats to classify Mir Raza’s death as a suicide to ensure a lenient investigation, reporting that she was stalked on a motorcycle for two days while her residential address and husband’s name were leaked on social media. She also stated that newly appointed investigation committee head DIG Amir Farooqui instructed her not to include findings contradicting the suicide theory. Dismantling initial suicide claims, Dr. Summaiya presented extensive medical proof of chemical torture, confirming that Mir Raza’s body bore industrial-grade hydrochloric acid burns on his hands and feet, carbonization marks on his shirt, and evidence of local anesthesia actively in his bloodstream at the time of the fatal gunshot wound, which entered from the back. She criticized initial post-mortem errors by Dr. Osama while verifying that final forensic reports conclusively point to foul play.
Concurrently, Justice Umar Sial expressed fierce outrage toward Firozabad SHO Adeel Afzal for failing to present original station diaries, missing seizure memos for crucial CCTV footage, and neglecting to log basic investigative evidence. The commission grilled SHO Afzal regarding his excessive and unauthorized involvement in the investigation, noting that he bypassed official protocols, interacted directly with witnesses to push a suicide angle, and mishandled critical electronics like smartwatches and mobile phones without proper documentation. To move forward, the judicial commission has directed the registrar to arrange video-link statements for key witnesses and investors currently residing abroad, including business partner Ehsan Anees Shamsi in Russia and investor Hasan Tanoli in Australia, while additional business associates and accountants have been summoned for upcoming hearings as the commission deepens its investigation into the systematic destruction of evidence.
