Family demands inquiry report into Karachi businessman’s death amid allegations of police negligence

Karachi Family Demands Judicial Report Into Entrepreneur’s Death Amid Police Negligence Claims

KARACHI: The family of a young Pakistani entrepreneur found shot dead in Karachi demanded on Monday the release of a judicial inquiry report into a headline‑grabbing case that has triggered nationwide protests and accusations of police misconduct.

Mir Raza Ali, the 25‑year‑old proprietor of the dessert catering business Wafflix, vanished on July 28 and was discovered lifeless on July 29. His relatives contested the initial assessment by investigators that suggested a suicide, and a follow‑up autopsy performed after his body was exhumed revealed a gunshot wound to his upper back along with multiple other injuries.

The incident has come under intense scrutiny of police operations and forensic methods in Pakistan’s largest metropolitan city and economic hub. In August, the Sindh provincial government set up a judicial commission to investigate the facts surrounding Ali’s death and to assess potential lapses in police conduct, prompted by public protests calling for transparency and accountability.

Led by Sindh High Court Justice Omar Sial, the commission submitted a sealed report to the provincial administration on October 15. The document contained testimony from 49 witnesses gathered during 15 hearings, covering both the circumstances of Ali’s demise and the handling of evidence. Its conclusions and recommendations remain unpublished.

“From day one our sole demand has been for a joint investigation team,” stated the lawyer for the family, Jibran Nasir, who spoke to Arab News on Monday. “Both the report and all supporting documents must be shared with the family.”

The underlying causes and motive behind Ali’s killing continue to be disputed.

“Significant governmental and judicial resources have been expended on the commission’s work… The report should be made public to provide closure to these proceedings,” Nasir added.

Abdul Ramid Channa, spokesperson for Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, indicated that the report would be released and presented to the provincial cabinet, which would determine how forward the process proceeds. The cabinet was slated to convene the following Tuesday.

Channa had yet to respond to queries from Arab News regarding the family’s specific requests or whether the report might be disclosed before publication.

Nasir claimed that police negligence became apparent during the commission’s conduct, noting that investigators persisted in pursuing a suicide narrative even as later findings raised doubts.

A police surgeon highlighted more than a dozen shortcomings in the original autopsy. The subsequent examination showed that a bullet penetrated Ali’s back and exited via his chest, causing cardiac damage. The final post‑mortem concluded those findings were “inconclusive with suicide as the cause of death.”

In August a new investigative team was assembled. Since then the family has insisted upon forming a joint task force composed of officers from federal and provincial agencies who had previously not worked on the case.

Additionally, Nasir questioned the legal foundation for a proposal to create a separate medical board to review the examination results, noting the family had assisted the judicial commission prior to those proposals.

Other serious criminal matters involving the city have also raised public concern. In February 2025, three police officers were suspended and demoted after their handling of the kidnapping and murder inquiry of 23‑year‑old Mustafa Amir attracted widespread criticism.

Karachi also confronts persistent levels of violent crime and opportunistic robbery. The Citizens‑Police Liaison Committee recorded 52 homicides and 1,859 mobile‑phone extortions in the city alone in September.

Source link