Jibran Nasir rejects claims of distrust in commission

Says Bharde's podcast revelations could help trace Raza's killers

KARACHI:

Advocate Jibran Nasir, the counsel for the family of Mir Raza Ali, on Saturday rejected claims of distrust in the Judicial Commission probing the case of his client, saying such assertions were "ridiculous" and that the ongoing investigation could help uncover the killers Raza.

Speaking to the media after a hearing at the City Court, Nasir said Mir Raza's business partner Ahmed Bharde had made several revelations in a podcast that he had not shared with the Judicial Commission. "If the revelations made by Ahmed Bharde are true, they could potentially lead investigators to Mir Raza's killers," he said, adding that the commission had asked Bharde to submit an application so that he could be summoned to record his statement.

Referring to the bail proceedings, the lawyer claimed that from the outset he had maintained that Ahmed's bail application was not maintainable and that the applicant should withdraw it. He alleged that the individuals concerned had not been nominated as accused in the case and that a month had been "unnecessarily wasted" in the proceedings.

The lawyer also welcomed statements made by Ahmed Bharde and his brother to the media, saying they could potentially assist the investigation. "Ahmed Bharde and his brother have spoken extensively to the media, and we are grateful to them. However, contradictions have emerged in several of their statements," Nasir said. "I have never heard of a witness expressing distrust in an investigation. They repeatedly put themselves in the position of an accused. Their claim of distrust is ridiculous," he added.

Earlier, Khalid Mumtaz Advocate, counsel for Ahmed Bharde, has rejected the Judicial Commission. He said his client and his brother, Abdullah, were not named as accused and no longer faced any threat from police. "We do not have confidence in the Judicial Commission. If summoned, we will appear, but we do not accept the commission," Mumtaz said while speaking to the media after a hearing at the City Court.

He said the names of Ahmed and Abdullah were not included among the accused and that the defence had therefore withdrawn their bail application. "Ahmed was certainly Mir Raza's business partner, but he is not a killer," Mumtaz said, claiming that they had not been given an opportunity to present their position before the Judicial Commission.