KARACHI: Although the Sindh chief minister has decided to extend the term of the judicial commission formed to probe the circumstances and possible negligence surrounding the murder of Mir Raza Ali, a formal approval will be granted by the provincial cabinet at its meeting likely to be held on Thursday, it emerged on Monday.
However, the one-man commission, headed by Justice Omar Sial of the Sindh High Court, could not hold its proceedings on Monday.
The commission, in its order, noted that since the cabinet was expected to meet on Oct 1, further proceedings were being adjourned till Oct 2.
Last month, the provincial government had formed the commission, which was also tasked with making recommendations for further investigation and forensic analysis or legal/departmental action, and it was likely to submit its findings and recommendations to the Sindh government within 30 days.
Justice Omar Sial adjourns proceedings till Oct 2 as cabinet is likely to meet on Oct 1
However, the commission had noted at a previous hearing that it was struggling to meet its deadline and also sent an application to the Sindh government for an extension in its tenure till Oct 15.
On Monday, the investigating officer of the case DSP Siraj Ahmed Lashari and Citizens-Police Liaison Committee official Kashif Iftikhar were in attendance to record their testimonies.
However, the matter could not be proceeded with after a focal person of the Sindh government informed the commission that its request for an extension of tenure was still awaiting a decision by the Sindh cabinet.
The commission in its order said that its tenure had ended on Sept 27, and an application had already been sent to the provincial government requesting an extension.
“I have been informed by Mr Javed Ahmed Abro, additional secretary/focal person, home department, government of Sindh, that the worthy chief minister of Sindh has approved and forwarded the summary to the Sindh cabinet for its decision. The Sindh cabinet is expected to meet on October 1, 2026. It will therefore be appropriate to adjourn today’s proceedings to October 2, 2026 at10:00am,” it added.
The commission’s order also said that if the provincial cabinet decided not to extend its term, no further witnesses would be called and the report would shortly thereafter be submitted on the basis of the testimonies recorded so far.
However, it further noted that if the cabinet approved the extension, fresh notices would be issued to the witnesses to record their statements and questionnaires would also be sent to Karachi police chief Azad Khan, head of current investigation team DIG Amir Farooqui and DIG East Farrukh Ali Lanjar.
At the last hearing, the commission dismissed an application by the aggrieved family seeking the personal appearance of senior police officers and asked the family’s counsel to submit their questions which, if the commission finds relevant, will be forwarded to these police officers.
Mir Raza, a 25-year-old businessman and counsel to submit their questions which, if the commission finds relevant, will be forwarded to these police officers.
Mir Raza, a 25-year-old businessman and a graduate of the Institute of Business Administration, had gone missing on July 28 after leaving his home in PECHS and his bullet-riddled body was found a day later in the bushes at a Gulistan-i-Jauhar locality.
Initially, the police had tried to build the case around suicide on the basis of the first autopsy, which indicated the bullet entry point on the chest, and by pointing out business losses and money borrowed by the victim, but Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed had disputed the findings of the first post-mortem conducted by medico-legal officer Dr Osama Sheikh.
Thereafter, a special medical board constituted on a court order, after exhumation of the body, found the entry bullet point on the backside and completely ruled out the possibility of suicide.
Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2026
