KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to form a new joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the death of Mir Raza Ali, following recommendations by a judicial commission, sources told ARY News on Wednesday.
According to sources, a ministerial committee met Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and presented its recommendations regarding the case.
The new JIT will be headed by Irfan Baloch and include officials from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and other relevant departments, sources said.
Police officers and station house officers (SHOs) named in the judicial commission’s recommendations will also face inquiries, while the provincial government plans to develop police investigation reforms in light of the report.
Earlier, the judicial commission examining Mir Raza Ali’s death raised serious concerns over the police investigation, the handling of medical and digital evidence, and the initial conclusion that he had died by suicide.
The commission recommended establishing a new JIT to conduct a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of the case.
The 70-page report, headed by Justice Umar Sial, was submitted to the chief minister on October 15. The commission held 20 meetings between August 27 and October 7 and recorded statements from 50 witnesses.
According to the report, police initially classified Mir Raza’s death as suicide based on a preliminary post-mortem examination. His family challenged the conclusion, citing marks of violence on his body and other evidence.
The police surgeon subsequently identified shortcomings in the initial post-mortem report and recommended a second examination. The body was re-examined on August 8, and the final report identified a bullet wound entering from the back as the cause of death.
The commission said it was inappropriate to conclude that the death was a suicide while disregarding contradictions in the medical evidence. It also criticised police for maintaining their initial position despite conflicting findings and for failing to meet basic investigative requirements.