The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday dismissed a petition demanding the establishment of a joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the murder of young businessman Mir Raza. Instead, the court instructed the investigating officer to carry out the inquiry in a just, impartial, and prompt manner.
The court released a detailed written verdict following the announcement of its reserved decision on the petition filed by Mir Raza’s family, who had expressed dissatisfaction with the current police investigation. The court highlighted that the Supreme Court order cited by the petitioners was of a different nature and was not applicable to this case.
The petitioners had requested a JIT formation, citing concerns about the adequacy of the police probe. However, the court noted that the investigating officer had assured it of making all possible efforts to complete the investigation. It was emphasized that the officer would utilize all available legal means and, if necessary, seek assistance from other law enforcement and investigative agencies.
In a significant development, the high court mandated that the probe into Mir Raza’s murder be conducted fairly, impartially, and expeditiously. It also affirmed that the petitioners retain the right to pursue all legal avenues to ensure transparency and fairness throughout the investigation.
During the proceedings, the court posed three critical questions to the lawyers: whether it had the jurisdiction to issue such an order, whether it could supervise an ongoing investigation, and whether it had authority to direct the creation of a JIT. The petitioners had relied on a Supreme Court order to support their request.
Government lawyers, including the advocate general and prosecutor general, opposed the petition. They argued that the high court lacked the authority to issue such directives and questioned how the court could evaluate the quality of an investigation before the case challan was submitted. They maintained that it was premature to judge the probe’s adequacy while it was still underway.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Mir Raza’s parents and sister appeared before a judicial commission appointed by the Sindh High Court to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death. They recorded their statements, while the commission also questioned the medico-legal officer (MLO) about discrepancies between the initial and subsequent post-mortem reports. The hearing was presided over by Justice Omar Sial.
During the session, Mir Raza’s family detailed the timeline of events from his disappearance on July 28, their search efforts, the discovery of his body, and interactions with police and his business associates. Statements were also recorded from two Edhi volunteers who transported the body, two employees of a nearby nursery where the body was found, and Dr. Osama Sheikh, who conducted the initial post-mortem.
Mir Raza’s father, Mir Hussain, recounted learning about his son’s disappearance through a call from a friend named Haseem around 4:14 am. Haseem informed him that Mir Raza’s social media accounts had been deleted, prompting the family to check on him. The father found Mir Raza’s belongings intact in his room and informed his daughter. Subsequently, Haseem and others arrived, and the family contacted a missing persons organization that circulated Mir Raza’s photo on social media.
The family also contacted the emergency police helpline and were advised to approach the Ferozabad police station. Mir Hussain stated that police initially refused to register an FIR, asking instead for an application and photograph. The family conducted their own search, reviewing CCTV footage from several locations, which showed a white car near their house and Mir Raza walking near a neighbor’s residence. Footage also captured the opening of an Alto car door and the vehicle’s movement through various areas, although the license plate was unclear.
The family reached the police station around 3:15 pm and requested the SHO, Adil Afzal, to register the FIR. Initially, the SHO suggested Mir Raza might have left home voluntarily after feeling upset. The FIR was eventually registered at approximately 4:30 pm. The SHO assured the father that Mir Raza would be found alive by midnight and assigned Sub-Inspector Shabbir Laghari to investigate the case.
Mir Raza’s mother testified that one of his business partners, Ahmed, had visited their home requesting a Foodpanda payment be transferred to his account. His sister, Alishba, reported that Ahmed asked her to make the transfer using Mir Raza’s email but she declined. The mother also said she contacted Haseem at around 1 am to ask about any new information. Ahmed, Abdullah, Rafi, Waseh, and Haseem arrived at the house around 2 am in a white Alto and claimed that CCTV footage showed Mir Raza taking a guard’s gun from a restaurant, a claim she initially doubted.
the mother, Abdullah told the family that Mir Raza owed him Rs22,000 and shared video clips showing Mir Raza parking a vehicle and appearing to take out a gun. The commission inquired about the ownership and recovery of the pistol. The mother said the business partners claimed the weapon belonged to a security guard and that the matter needed to be reported. They also stated that the restaurant footage was stored on Mir Raza’s mobile phone and that they had accessed this data. Ahmed later sent a voice message to Mir Raza’s father requesting the video evidence be handed over to the police.
The family continued searching hospitals for Mir Raza. His sister mentioned that around 5 am, Haseem called asking for the rented vehicle Mir Raza used, insisting it needed to be returned. The family initially refused, waiting for Mir Raza to return. The mother accused the business partners of searching the vehicle and taking Monopoly cards found inside.
The family also contacted ride-hailing services Bykea and Uber during their search. Bykea officials informed them that Mir Raza had booked an Alto with a driver named Ehsanullah. The driver said he dropped Mir Raza at Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 2 and shared the location. Upon reaching the site, the family found a restaurant kitchen, where a security guard suggested checking nearby guesthouses. The family subsequently visited Qila Guest House and showed Mir Raza’s photograph to the residents.
