A judicial magistrate in Karachi has issued a show-cause notice to DIG Irfan Baloch, head of the joint investigation team (JIT) investigating the murder of businessman Mir Raza, after police failed to submit the final charge sheet. The JIT chief has been directed to explain the delay by November 10.
The Sindh Home Department formed the JIT under DIG Baloch following a recommendation by a single-member judicial commission headed by Sindh High Court Justice Omar Sial. The team was assigned to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza’s death and examine possible negligence in the handling of the case.
Two earlier high-level investigation teams had failed to identify the person responsible or establish how Mir Raza’s body was found. Previous investigating officers had also requested three extensions for submitting the final report, citing pending forensic findings and a response from Apple regarding the deceased’s mobile phone.
During Monday’s hearing, complainant’s counsel Daniyal Muhammad Hussain informed the court that DSP Sirajuddin Lashari was no longer the investigating officer following the formation of the JIT. He also submitted the official notification confirming the team’s establishment. According to the counsel, no police official or JIT member appeared before the court despite the matter being fixed for submission of the final charge sheet.
After a brief hearing, the magistrate directed DIG Irfan Baloch to explain why the final charge sheet had not been submitted. DSP Lashari told Dawn that he had handed over the case file to the JIT chief so the team could continue the investigation and confirmed that he was no longer serving as the investigating officer.
Mir Raza, a 25-year-old businessman, went missing on July 28 after leaving his home in Karachi’s PECHS area. His body, bearing a gunshot wound, was discovered in bushes in Gulistan-i-Jauhar the following day.
In an interim report, the investigating officer listed 63 witnesses but left the accused column marked as “no one.” The report stated that police had examined possible angles but had not identified a suspect or made a breakthrough in the investigation.
The case was registered on the complaint of Mir Raza’s father after his disappearance. The investigation was subsequently transferred to the JIT, which is now responsible for examining the circumstances of his death and submitting the final charge sheet.
