KARACHI: The judicial commission investigating the death of businessman Mir Raza Ali has ordered that a notice be issued to Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, as scrutiny intensifies over the handling of evidence and the conduct of provincial authorities during the inquiry.
Raza, an IBA graduate and businessman, was found dead in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar a day after disappearing on July 28. His father has consistently maintained that his son was murdered and has rejected suggestions that his death was a suicide. The commission had already questioned police officers and issued a notice to DIG Amir Farooqi over the alleged withholding of investigative records.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Police Surgeon Dr Summaya Syed was questioned about delays in sending samples collected from Raza’s body for laboratory testing. She said delays would not ordinarily invalidate testing, but acknowledged that it could not be determined whether chemical traces had been lost in the intervening period.
Proceedings became tense after the Sindh advocate general objected to questions being put by lawyer Jibran Nasir on behalf of Raza’s family. The commission questioned why the government was objecting and subsequently directed that the home minister be summoned in view of the advocate general’s conduct.