Twenty-two-days after the death of young businessman Mir Raza Ali, the investigation remains far from delivering justice to his family. Authorities have yet to arrest the alleged killers or establish who killed Raza, where he was killed and why he was killed, while protests demanding justice continue across Karachi.
As the investigation continues, statements of 41 people have so far been recorded, including Ali’s friends, business partner, guesthouse staff and other individuals linked to the case, investigative sources said on Wednesday.
Investigators have also prepared a list of people to whom the slain youth owed money and obtained complete details of the guesthouse linked to the case. Sources said the guesthouse owner had rented the property to a person through a broker, who later sublet it to another individual. Statements of the relevant persons have been recorded under the Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, under which a person can subsequently be included in the investigation if required.
The investigation is being conducted in the light of both medical reports concerning Raza’s death. Investigators have also obtained the geofencing report of the crime scene, while analysis of IPDR details and forensic examination of Raza’s smartwatch are expected to take more time.
Meanwhile, protests demanding justice for Raza continue across Karachi. Traders of the Sanitary and Tiles Market staged a protest on Wednesday on the main road in Gulbahar under the banner of the Gulbahar Traders Alliance against the alleged murder of the young businessman .
The protest caused a traffic jam on the main thoroughfare, creating difficulties for commuters. Raza’s father Mir Hussain Ali also attended the demonstration where traders and shopkeepers demanded justice and immediate arrest of those responsible for his son’s death.
Addressing the protesters, Hussain said the family was losing the hope of getting justice and appealed to the prime minister to intervene. “Twenty-two days have passed, but we have still not received justice,” he lamented.
He gave the government a five-to-six-day deadline warning that if no clear progress was made within that period, the family would decide about its future course of action. “Imagine what will happen if students and traders join hands in protest,” he said.
The father said the family had placed several questions before the new investigation team, including the role of a rickshaw in the killing case. He alleged that instead of properly investigating the case, efforts were being made to protect someone.
Lawyer’s letter
The lawyer representing the parents of Mir Raza Ali has sent a 22-page letter to the Sindh chief minister, with a copy also forwarded to the prime minister of Pakistan.
The lawyer has sought an investigation into the roles of nine police officers, including DIG East Farukh Lanjar, and called for a probe into their alleged negligence and conduct in the Mir Raza case.
The lawyer demanded a transparent and impartial investigation into the matter, urging the authorities to take immediate steps to uncover the facts surrounding Mir Raza’s death. The lawyer also called for the roles and alleged negligence of the police officers to be thoroughly examined and for all facts to be brought before the family and the public through a fair investigation.
