The planned exhumation of young businessman Mir Raza Ali’s body was postponed on Friday after his family objected to the formation of a new medical board overseeing the process. The family halted the administration from proceeding, raising concerns over the board’s composition.
Ali, an IBA graduate, had returned home from his shop on the night of July 28 before leaving again, telling family members he would return within 10 minutes. His body was later discovered by police in bushes located in Block 1 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Initial medical assessments indicated that Ali had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. The preliminary post-mortem report estimated the body to be between 24 and 36 hours old at the time of examination.
Speaking to reporters, the family’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, confirmed the exhumation was postponed for the day, highlighting that a third notification had been issued regarding the medical board. This latest notification combined the first two boards into a new panel, which the family has refused to accept. Nasir also confirmed that Ali’s parents have provided statements to the investigating officer.
Nasir alleged political interference in the case, questioning the removal of members from the original eight-member medical board. He expressed that the repeated notifications had caused unease within the family. The judicial magistrate has been informed that the family does not accept the newly formed board and continues to trust the doctors named in the earlier notifications.
He further claimed delays in the exhumation process were deliberate, suggesting that those responsible for the changes had only partially succeeded in their efforts by postponing the proceedings. Nasir also raised doubts about the investigation, pointing out inconsistencies in the CCTV footage. He noted that clips showed a person collecting garbage and a motorcycle passing near the location where Ali’s body was found, arguing that all individuals passing through the area should be thoroughly examined.
Challenging the investigation’s direction, Nasir stated that even if a message attributed to Ali was genuine, it contained no indication of suicide. The previous day, a judicial magistrate’s court had approved a plea from Ali’s father to exhume the body for a fresh post-mortem after concerns were raised regarding the initial report.
Following the court order, Police Surgeon Dr. Sumaiyya Syed confirmed the establishment of a medical board, with the exhumation scheduled for 9 a.m. However, Nasir revealed that the family opposed the procedure, accusing provincial authorities of altering the medical board overnight. In an emergency notice sent to the police surgeon and Sindh health secretary, Nasir questioned the sudden replacement of the board originally constituted by court order.
He explained that the court had directed the police surgeon and health secretary to form the medical board, which initially consisted of eight forensic and pathology experts appointed by the Karachi police surgeon. Nasir argued that only the divisional police surgeon had the authority to establish such a board for exhumation purposes.
Nasir, the Hyderabad director general of health replaced all members of the original panel on the night of August 6, an action he described as contrary to court directives and an infringement on the police surgeon’s authority.
