Senate panel told no murder clue found

The Karachi police have failed to find any clue linking anyone to the alleged murder of Mir Raza despite recording statements from 78 people, the city's police chief told the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday.

The committee, chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, was briefed by Karachi police chief Azad Khan about the investigation into Raza's death. Officials said the victim's parents declared the incident a murder; consequently, the police investigated it from that perspective.

Khan said Raza died on July 28, while his father reported the incident to police on July 29. Initial information collected by investigators included blood on grass, a flowerpot and an envelope containing blood. Police also recovered a shell of a .30-bore pistol.

He said the first investigation team was constituted on August 1, followed by a second team on August 9. The police chief told the committee that Raza had suffered a loss of around Rs45 million in July. He added that pistol marks had been found on both of Raza's hands.

Khan also disclosed that some traces of hydrochloric acid were found on Mir Raza's shirt, while marks allegedly indicating torture were found on his face. The investigation has also revealed discrepancies in the post-mortem reports.

According to the police chief, the July 29 post-mortem report stated that the bullet had entered from the front, whereas a report issued on August 8 stated that the bullet had entered from the back and exited through the chest.

Senator Quratulain Marri asked the police chief whether it was true that Mir Raza had emptied his bank account before his death and transferred all the money to his parents.

She also asked whether he had shut down all his social media accounts himself and whether he normally travelled in his own vehicle but had booked an online ride on the day of his death.

Khan confirmed that all these details were correct.

Senator Quratulain Marri asked whether Dr Samia—the doctor who conducted Raza's medico-legal examination—had appeared on television before giving her statement to the police. Khan replied in the affirmative, saying that Dr Samia had made a statement on television.

The chairperson expressed concern over reports circulating on social media that Mir Raza had been severely tortured, saying she hoped that the committee was not protecting anyone in the matter.

Khan reiterated that investigators had found hydrochloric acid traces on Mir Raza's shirt and marks of torture on his face. He said police had so far recorded statements from 78 people but had not found any evidence pointing to anyone's involvement in the killing.

The police chief said the investigation was nevertheless being conducted as a murder inquiry because Mir Raza's parents had declared his death to be murder.