KARACHI: Police have registered a case against “around 100 demonstrators” accused of blocking a stretch of Sharea Faisal — Karachi’s main artery — during a protest held in connection with the Mir Raza Ali murder case, it emerged on Friday.

A first information report (FIR), registered on the complaint of Sub-Inspector (SI) Muhammad Nizam, said that he saw “around 100 people” blocking Sharea Faisal’s track between Saddar and the airport at 12:30am on August 27.

The FIR quoted him as saying that they were sticks and banners, which bore slogans such as “Arrest the killers of Mir Raza Ali”.

The complainant alleged that the protestors were blocking the road for vehicular movement and pedestrians while shouting slogans. He added that officials tried to reason with the protesters, but they “did not stop and continued shouting slogans”.

The FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered on the SI’s complaint at the Ferozabad police station under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR named 20 identified persons along with “75/80 of their unidentified associates”.

Ali, a 25-year-old Karachi-based businessman, was found dead with a gunshot wound in Gulistan-i-Jauhar last month, a day after he was reported missing on July 28. The case has been mired in controversy with Ali’s family raising questions about its investigation and accusing authorities of trying to bury the facts.

Ali’s family, friends, acquaintances and civil society members have also been gathering on Sharea Faisal near Nursery every night, vowing that they will not give up until justice is provided to Ali.

Judicial commission begins proceedings

On Friday, a judicial commission formed to probe the case and review its investigation began its proceedings, summoning medico-legal officer Osama Sheikh, who had performed Ali’s first autopsy.

Justice Omar Sial of the single-member commission also summoned the two nursery employees who had found Ali’s body and alerted the police, the Edhi volunteers and the policemen who arrived at the scene.

At the outset of the hearing, a prayer was offered for Ali and Justice Sial told Ali’s father, Mir Hussain Ali, “I am aware of what the family is going through.”

The family’s counsel, Advocate Jibran Nasir, also appeared before the commission and alleged that police officials were being barred from performing their duties.

“Legal action is also being taken against people who are helping us,” he continued.

“We have only been provided with copies of the statements of the family members so far,” he added.

Nasir informed Justice Sial that Ali had left his house at 4am on July 28 and he was last seen alive at 4:30am, according to CCTV footage.

“His body was shifted to Jinnah Hospital on July 29 without any police proceedings, and the post-mortem was performed the same day,” he said.

Nasir also stated that the items found in Ali’s possession were handed over to SI Nadeem at the hospital, adding that MLO at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Osama Sheikh performed the first post-mortem of the body.

A kidnapping case was registered after 11 hours of Ali’s disappearance, he said.

Nasir recalled Ali’s body was recovered on the basis of information by two nursery employees, whom he identified as Yasir and Qaiser.

At this, Justice Sial asked if the two had alerted the police and Nasir responded in the affirmative.

“We are summoning all these people here to record their statements,” the judge said.

Apart from nursery employees, he also summoned Edhi Foundation volunteers, policemen who had arrived at the scene and the MLO.

“Mir Hussain sahib will provide us with all the information of the first three days,” Justice Sial added.

He also asked for investigating officer Siraj Lashari to appear before the commission and assist it.

During the hearing, Justice Sial also said that the commission would release an advertisement asking “anyone who has any information on the case may contact us”. He added that the commission would also provide an email address and a WhatsApp number for this purpose.

“Anyone who provides specific information will be given a reward of Rs100,000,” Justice Sial said, further directing that the notices should also be displayed near the spot where Ali’s body was found.

He further said the Sindh government would provide a list of police officers and doctors who had been associated with the case so far, adding that details of all evidence found in the case should also be provided.

The Sindh government focal person was also present on the occasion and assured the commission that “whatever documents are needed will be provided”.

The proceedings were adjourned till 11am on Tuesday.