A judicial commission investigating the death of businessman Mir Raza Ali convened on Tuesday to record statements from several business associates and witnesses. The proceedings concentrated on Mir Raza’s investments, business dealings, and inconsistencies between witness testimonies and police records.
Presided over by Sindh High Court Justice Omar Sial, the one-member commission took statements from businessman Abid Farooq and his brother Asif, businessman Faizur Rehman, and business associate Sarim bin Tahir, who appeared via video link from Malaysia.
Abid Farooq revealed that Mir Raza had offered him a partnership in a restaurant venture in 2020. Following this, Abid invested Rs7 million in 2024 and Rs7.5 million in 2025. Additionally, he invested up to Rs10 million in a vehicle-coating business linked to Mir Raza’s family. Although no formal written agreements existed, transaction records and discussions were documented on WhatsApp.
Abid stated that he initially received payments from the business, but these payments became delayed and ceased by April 2026. When questioned whether Mir Raza had mentioned financial difficulties, Abid said Raza explained he was expanding the restaurant business, which caused the payment delays. He further noted that he continued meeting Mir Raza after April without noticing any significant behavioral changes and had no knowledge of Raza seeking Rs30 million or being subjected to blackmail.
Asif Farooq, Abid’s brother, confirmed their continued good relations and contact with Mir Raza. The commission concluded the brothers’ testimonies during the session.
Through video link, Sarim bin Tahir, engaged in the software industry, recounted that Mir Raza had approached him, leading to a meeting at a restaurant in Bahadurabad. Sarim said Raza discussed a cloud-kitchen business and investment opportunities, later inquiring if Sarim was involved in cryptocurrency. Upon Sarim’s negative response, Raza mentioned other ventures, including a vehicle-related business.
Sarim advised Raza to improve his business structure, register formally, and maintain better financial records. They ultimately decided against forming a partnership. He added that they met in December and January to discuss a financial matter involving approximately Rs3.0-3.5 million.
Sarim stated that Raza later contacted him about an investment, sending a message referencing Rs30 million while Sarim was at his office. This message was subsequently deleted by Raza himself. Sarim had initially provided investigators with 25 screenshots of his conversations with Raza, including relevant exchanges. The commission noted that the complete chat history was not submitted and instructed its focal person to obtain it.
When asked how he interpreted Raza’s request for millions as investment-related rather than a plea for financial help, Sarim explained that Raza appeared to be urgently seeking funds related to his business ventures. Sarim speculated that Raza might have suffered cryptocurrency losses or was trying to repay a loan, perceiving that Raza had reached out as a “last hope” amid difficulties.
Sarim also revealed that police contacted him using call-data records and that his initial statement was later recorded by a different investigation team. Regarding the leak of part of his police statement to the media, Sarim expressed ignorance and suggested that former Ferozabad SHO Adeel Afzal might have been responsible.
The commission questioned discrepancies between police-recorded statements and witness testimonies. Businessman Faizur Rehman, owner of three coffee shops and a restaurant, testified that Mir Raza had requested Rs200,000 in June 2025 for a Foodpanda-related payment, which he provided and was later repaid. Rehman added that Raza later sought Rs1 million from him, which he did not provide.
Rehman stated he was abroad when Mir Raza died and returned to Pakistan on August 25, after which police summoned him for a statement. He denied telling police that Raza sought money from the son of a property developer, clarifying that Raza had only asked for the contact number of Ahsan, son of Saleem Zaki, for marketing purposes. Rehman confirmed that Raza had asked Rs1 million from his nephew, describing it as a family matter.
Rehman denied discussing cryptocurrency with Raza, despite police questioning him on the subject. The commission expressed concern about police summoning him despite his lack of direct involvement and criticized the handling of his statement. The proceedings also examined a WhatsApp conversation between Rehman and Ali Shaaz on August 6, highlighting potential police narrative construction without witness verification.
These sessions follow increased scrutiny of the police investigation, with the commission previously questioning delays in producing records and inconsistencies between police and witness accounts. The commission criticized the first investigation officer, Inspector Shabbir Laghari, for neglecting crucial investigative steps, noting that other officers conducted key tasks such as collecting CCTV footage and evidence.
On Monday, the commission dismissed a request by medico-legal officer Dr Osama Sheikh to record an additional statement, stating it had enough material to assess the facts and possible negligence. Earlier, the commission reviewed controversies surrounding the initial post-mortem. A second post-mortem, conducted after exhumation, concluded Mir Raza was shot from the back, ruling out suicide.
The commission is expected to continue hearing from witnesses and police officials as it probes the circumstances of Mir Raza’s death and potential negligence in the investigation process.
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