Pakistan highlights mediatory role in US-Iran conf…

  A meeting of the investigation team probing the death of Karachi-based young businessman Mir Raza has concluded at Ferozabad Police Station, where several important decisions were taken regarding the ongoing investigation. According to investigative sources, different tasks have been assigned to members of the committee as part of the inquiry. The family of Mir Raza will be formally interviewed and their statements will be recorded. The team has also decided to record the statements of 21 individuals who were taken into custody during the investigation. Following the meeting, members of the investigation committee left for the crime scene to inspect the location and collect additional evidence. The former investigating officer will also accompany the new investigation team during the visit. Meanwhile, the new investigation team has contacted the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in connection with the case. The team has requested details of Mir Raza’s social media profiles and digital accounts to examine his online activity and determine whether it could provide any clues regarding his disappearance and death. The new team has written four letters to the NCCIA. In one of the letters, the agency was asked to conduct a forensic examination of Mir Raza’s smartwatch. The smartwatch was handed over to the NCCIA a day earlier for examination. However, the victim’s family has requested that the forensic examination of the smartwatch be conducted at a forensic laboratory in Lahore rather than by the NCCIA. The family’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, said the smartwatch had remained in the possession of the former head of the investigation committee for several days, raising concerns about possible tampering. He demanded that the forensic examination be carried out in Lahore to ensure transparency and credibility. Earlier, on August 12, Dr Usama Sheikh, who conducted Mir Raza’s initial post-mortem examination, was removed from his position as a medico-legal officer. Officials said the doctor had committed serious errors during the initial post-mortem. He will appear before officials during an inquiry into the matter. A preliminary medical report following the exhumation and second post-mortem of Mir Raza indicated signs of physical trauma on his body. The report stated that the gunshot wound was smaller at the back and larger at the front, suggesting that the bullet may have entered from the rear. The report also revealed that Mir Raza had suffered fractured ribs and multiple injuries to his head and face. A fracture and wound approximately 12 centimetres long were found on his right thigh, while blood stains were also detected in tissues in the lower part of his body. The preliminary findings obtained after his exhumation on August 8 differed significantly from the initial post-mortem report. Evidence of a deep injury and fracture was found in his jaw, while injuries were also detected on his nasal bone and various parts of his face. Investigative sources said 17 samples were collected during the exhumation. Samples from Mir Raza’s parents were also obtained for DNA matching. The samples will be submitted to the forensic laboratory of the University of Karachi. After the samples were collected, Mir Raza was reburied on the same day, August 8. Mir Raza Ali Khan went missing from the PECHS area of Karachi on July 28. He left home at 4:09 a.m. in an online taxi, and his body was recovered from Gulistan-e-Johar two days later. Police said the body was found in a severely damaged condition and had a gunshot wound to the chest. His social media accounts had reportedly been shut down one day before his body was recovered. According to Mir Raza’s father, his son was scheduled to marry on August 30 at Bait-ul-Mukarram Mosque in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and had been very happy about starting a new chapter in his life.