Sindh has formed a multi-agency joint investigation team led by DIG Irfan Ali Baloch to investigate businessman Mir Raza Ali’s death. The move follows a judicial commission’s criticism of the initial police investigation and recommendations for further scrutiny of officials’ conduct.
KARACHI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: The Sindh government has formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the murder of Karachi businessman Mir Raza Ali, with representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Pakistan Rangers Sindh and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) being sought for the inquiry.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Irfan Ali Baloch has been appointed to lead the team, according to an official letter reported by Geo News and Dawn. The move follows recommendations by a judicial commission headed by Sindh High Court judge Justice Omar Sial, which sharply criticised the handling of the initial police investigation.
The Home Department sent letters to the relevant agencies on October 23, asking them to nominate senior officers to the JIT within seven days so that it can begin its work. The appointments of individual agency representatives were not identified in the reports.
Judicial commission criticised initial investigation
Mir Raza Ali, a 25-year-old businessman and graduate of the Institute of Business Administration, left his home in Karachi’s PECHS area in the early hours of July 28. His family reported him missing, and his body was found in bushes in Gulistan-e-Jauhar the following day.
A judicial commission headed by Justice Omar Sial examined the circumstances surrounding his death and the handling of the case. In its 62-page report, submitted to the Sindh government in October, the commission described the police investigation as a serious failure and identified procedural lapses in the collection, preservation and documentation of evidence.
The commission recommended a JIT involving intelligence agencies and other specialist bodies, saying a broader investigation was needed to pursue the case and help restore public confidence.
It also said the possibility of an active cover-up could not be conclusively established by the commission, which did not have investigative powers. It recommended a separate high-level inquiry into whether police officials involved in the early stages of the case had committed offences or misconduct.
NCCIA asked to assist with digital evidence
The Home Department’s letter to the NCCIA specifically sought an officer with expertise in digital forensics. The investigation involves the examination of mobile phones, an Apple Watch, iCloud data, social media records and cryptocurrency-related information, Dawn reported.
The digital evidence is expected to form part of the broader effort to reconstruct events surrounding Ali’s death. The commission had highlighted concerns over missing or inadequately handled evidence, including CCTV footage and digital records.
The involvement of specialist agencies is intended to support a more comprehensive investigation. The findings of the new JIT have yet to be reported.
Separate inquiry into police conduct
Alongside the JIT, the Sindh government has initiated separate measures concerning the conduct of police officers named in the commission’s report.
The Home Department has forwarded the commission’s observations and recommendations to the Sindh inspector general of police for appropriate action. A separate committee led by Additional Inspector General of the Counter-Terrorism Department Zulfiqar Ali Larik will review the roles and performance of officers mentioned in the report. DIG Irfan Baloch will assist that review.
The committee has also been tasked with examining Inspector Ghaus’s role in the reported burning of the crime scene. These matters remain subject to investigation and should not be treated as proof of criminal responsibility.
Government seeks a separate FIA-led probe
The provincial government has also approached the federal interior ministry to request a senior Federal Investigation Agency officer, of Grade 20 or above, to lead a separate committee examining the case and the conduct of officials involved in the initial investigation.
DIG Irfan Baloch and Special Branch DIG Naeem Ahmed Shaikh are expected to serve on the proposed committee.
The separate inquiry follows the judicial commission’s recommendation that possible criminal conduct by officials be examined independently and that action be taken where evidence supports it.
