JIT formed to probe Mir Raza's death

Home dept suggests action against police, medical officials

KARACHI:

The Sindh Home Department has constituted a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the death of Wafflix owner Mir Raza Ali, appointing DIG Irfan Ali Baloch as its head in line with the recommendations of a judicial inquiry commission.

Senior representatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Pakistan Rangers Sindh and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) will also be included in the team. The Home Department has requested the relevant agencies to nominate officers of Grade 18 or above.

The JIT has been formed following recommendations by a one-member judicial commission headed by Justice Omar Sial, which examined the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza Ali's death. The team will conduct further investigations in light of the commission's findings.

Separately, the Home Department has forwarded the commission's observations and recommendations of a provincial cabinet subcommittee to the Inspector General of Sindh Police for action against police officers and personnel. It has also written to the provincial health secretary regarding medical officials named in the report.

The cabinet subcommittee has recommended removing Dr Osama Sheikh from his position and requiring him to undergo two years of training.

The provincial government has also decided to form an inquiry committee headed by a senior Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer. The federal interior ministry has been asked to nominate an officer of Grade 20 or above to lead the committee, with DIG West Irfan Ali Baloch and DIG Naeem Ahmed Sheikh as members.

In a separate move, the Home Department has constituted a one-member committee headed by Additional IG Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Zulfiqar Ali Larik to examine the roles of police officers.