A judicial commission probing the murder of young entrepreneur Mir Raza in Karachi has completed its report after more than a month of hearings, according to commission sources. The report is due to be presented to the Sindh government on Thursday, October 15.
The sources said the detailed investigation document will be delivered at 10:00am that day. The commission has also called the secretary of home affairs to appear on Thursday, and its registrar will hand the report over to the home secretary.
Judicial commission schedule and report handover
Commission head Justice Umar Sial will move to Hyderabad to begin hearing cases there. He will sit at the Hyderabad circuit bench until November 7.
Separately, details have emerged of the answers given by DIG Amir Farooqi, who leads the investigation team in the Mir Raza case, when he appeared before the commission. The panel put 19 questions to him about the probe.
DIG Amir Farooqi’s answers on the crime scene
Farooqi told the commission that he had found no shortcomings in the earlier investigation that could have affected the inquiry. Asked whether Shabbir Laghari had personally recorded only 10 of 33 statements, he said the statements Laghari recorded formed part of the investigation file.
He said all evidence had been secured in line with the law. He did, however, acknowledge irregularities in the early stage over preserving the body and securing the crime scene. He said he was satisfied with the steps taken later, but added it would have been better if the holster, lighter, cigarette packet and bullet casing had been recovered on the first day.
According to Farooqi, the scene was uneven and covered with bushes, grass and garbage. The spot where a fire was set lay 15 feet from where the body was found. He said the holster, casing, personal belongings, the body’s position on sloping ground and grass found in the hand were all relevant, and that the amount of blood on the surface depended on how the body lay.
Cryptocurrency records and questions on conduct
Asked whether investigators had considered extortion, forced collection of money, blackmail or threats, Farooqi said the probe was being run with possible scenarios in mind. He said information about Mir Raza’s cryptocurrency trading and accounts had been obtained from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Details on cryptocurrency and financial matters are still awaited from the NCCIA and the State Bank of Pakistan.
Farooqi said all records received would be added to the investigation file, and findings would be presented before the court. Separately, the commission raised questions about the conduct and contacts of an individual, saying the matter needed detailed questioning.
Farooqi denied speaking about showing leniency toward the additional police surgeon. He said investigators had tried to keep digital evidence fully confidential, but several details reached the media even before the investigation started. He added that the conduct of police personnel and other relevant individuals was under examination, and strict action would follow if anyone was found to have broken the law.
