Mir Raza case: Jibran Nasir says family will go to court if not given commission report

KARACHI: The report of the judicial commission formed to investigate the murder of Mir Raza has not been included in the agenda of the Sindh cabinet meeting. The Sindh Chief Minister’s spokesperson had earlier issued a statement saying the report would be presented to the cabinet.

According to sources, the Sindh cabinet meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, where a decision on the report is to be taken. However, the matter is not on the agenda issued a day earlier.

Mir Raza’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, said the judicial commission submitted its report on 15 October. He said the Sindh cabinet would now decide whether to make the report public and give it to the bereaved family.

Demand for joint investigation team

Speaking to the media in Karachi, Jibran Nasir said he had demanded a joint investigation team (JIT) earlier too and still stood by that position.

He said the police were trying to give the case the colour of a suicide. He said the judicial commission had given its opinion and had set the police apart.

Jibran Nasir said the Provincial Home Minister, Zia Lanjar, had set up the judicial commission to address the family’s concerns. He said the government should ensure a transparent investigation instead of siding with the police version.

The lawyer said the public also felt insecure over the case, and various scandals were being raised about the bereaved parents. He demanded that a joint investigation team be formed instead of wasting government resources.

He made it clear that the family would approach the court if it was not given the report. He said it was now for the Sindh cabinet to decide whether the report should be made public and whether it should be given to the family.

Background to the case

Mir Raza Ali Khan, a young man from Karachi, went missing from the Pakistan Employees Co-operative Housing Society (PECHS) on 28 July. He had left home at 4:09am in an online taxi. His body was found two days later in Gulistan-e-Johar.

According to police officials, the body was found in a very bad condition and he had a bullet wound in the chest. All his social media accounts had been shut down a day before the body was found.