KARACHI: Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed on Monday informed a judicial commission that she has been facing threats and being defamed on social media for pointing out deficiencies and lapses made during the first autopsy of young businessman Mir Raza Ali.

When the matter came up for hearing before the commission’s head, Justice Omar Sial of the Sindh High Court, on Monday, the police surgeon recorded her statement.

When the commission asked her whether she had been intimidated for resisting the findings of the first autopsy, she stated that she had put her job and career at stake simply by telling the truth and that it was a test case for her.

She narrated an incident of intimidation involving two motorcyclists when she was going home. She said she was also being defamed on social media, while details of her family and residential address had been made public through digital media.

Deposes she was followed by two motorcyclists when going home

“I have filed a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency in this regard,” she added.

Dr Syed further submitted that she had been treated in a threatening manner by DIG Amir Farooqui and that he had also attempted to influence her when she made her findings.

She maintained that when she had approached the DIG to point out loopholes in the first autopsy report, she was told that the police would be lenient during interrogation if she did not oppose the findings, which hinted at suicide.

She briefed the commission about the exhumation of the body and the second autopsy conducted by a medical board under the supervision of a judicial magistrate on Aug 8.

She said that after finding out lapses in the first autopsy, she had proposed the exhumation for a second post-mortem to SSPs Zubair Nazir and Samiullah Soomro and they had asked her to convince the family of the victim for that purpose.

Replying to a question of the commission about changes in the composition of the first medical board formed for exhumation, she stated that the director general of health had changed the board.the first medical board formed for exhumation, she stated that the director general of health had changed the board.

She submitted that she was unaware of the reasons behind such a move, but the deputy secretary-health had verbally instructed her to withdraw herself from the medical board, but her name was included in the board on the order of a judicial magistrate.

During the second autopsy, the police surgeon said her findings were corroborated, as the entry point of the bullet from the backside and the exit point on the chest of the deceased were established, and all members of the board were unanimous in their opinion about the second post-mortem.

She also deposed that there were visible injury marks on the victim’s head, that his nose was fractured, and that there were chemical-burn marks on his hands and feet.

She also said the chemical examination report confirmed the presence of acid and that there was carbonisation on the hands and feet. She added that it was not skin slippage, whereas, in the initial post-mortem, the deterioration of the skin on the hands had been attributed to decomposition.

The police surgeon, whose testimony continued for around three hours, further informed the commission that the presence of anaesthesia in the body had been established by a forensic report, which showed that the drug was present in the circulatory system. Carbonisation was also found on the deceased’s shirt, and it could be stated that anaesthesia was present in his body before his murder.

When the commission asked whether she needed protection from the police or Rangers, she replied in the negative.

The commission asked Additional Secretary-Home Javed Ahmed Abro to bring her complaints to the notice of the Sindh chief minister and home minister and directed the provincial police chief to ensure her safety.

It also said that, since she was an important witness in the case, she appeared to have been targeted, and directed the NCCIA to look into the matter expeditiously.

Justice Sial further asked his office to share a copy of the order with the IG and DIG Farooqui, who would be given an opportunity to address the situation when he appeared before the commission.

The commission said it had come to know that Muhammad Ahmed Bhardey, a business partner of the victim, had complained that he had much more to tell the commission than he had been allowed to.

Justice Sial said he was given over two hours to testify on whatever he wanted to say in connection with the case, and he was again being put on notice for Sept 17 to add to his earlier statement and to explain the conduct of his lawyer, who had attempted to scandalise the commission and its proceedings in interviews aired on social media.

The commission also issued notices to Ahsan Anees Shamsi, a business partner of the victim, and Usman Buzai to record their statements.

It also recorded the statement of Ferozabad SHO Adil Afzal and deplored him for causing a delay in lodging the FIR after the victim went missing.

The commission also expressed displeasure with the police and the additional secretary-home for failing to seal and produce the daily diary of the Ferozabad police station despite earlier orders.

Justice Sial also came down hard on the SHO for failing to properly collect the DVR and footage and instead keeping the video clips on his mobile phone, which was not admissible as evidence before a court of law.

When the commission questioned him as to why he was collecting evidence/CCTV footage when he was not authorised to do so, the SHO submitted that he was doing it on humanitarian grounds.

He also denied telling the family about the possibility of suicide, as well as any pressure from high-ups to derail the investigation process.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2026