Mir Raza murder case: Jibran Nasir alleges acid torture, questions handling of evidence

KARACHI: Lawyer Jibran Nasir, representing the family of businessman Mir Raza Ali, has alleged that the young man was subjected to prolonged torture before his death, saying that chemical analysis of his shirt showed traces of acid.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Mir Raza’s parents, Nasir said that several important facts had emerged during the past 24 hours and questioned the handling of evidence and the progress of the investigation into Raza’s death.

Nasir claimed that samples sealed by Dr Osama during the investigation had now produced significant findings, alleging that acid traces were detected on Raza’s shirt.

He further claimed that Raza had been subjected to acid and alleged that anaesthesia had been administered directly into his body.

“Mir Raza was tortured for 12 hours,” Nasir claimed, while also expressing concern that Raza may have been forced to ingest acid.

The lawyer did not provide details of the laboratory methodology or a complete forensic report during the press conference, and the allegations could not independently be verified.

Questions over timeline

Nasir also questioned the timeline surrounding Raza’s disappearance and the recovery of his body.

He referred to the footage showing Raza at around 4:38pm on July 28 and questioned what happened between the time he was last seen and the recovery of his body on July 29.

He said the family and its legal team had been working with the newly constituted investigation committee and said that several issues had emerged regarding the earlier handling of the case.

According to Nasir, the family had identified a location where empty bottles believed to have contained acid were present.

He said that the finding should be examined by investigators as part of the fresh probe.

Concerns over evidence handling

Nasir also raised serious allegations regarding the handling and preservation of evidence.

He claimed that CCTV footage from the relevant area had not been handled appropriately and alleged that the digital video recorder (DVR) was being carried around in a vehicle by Township SHO Adil Afzal.

He also questioned the composition of the investigation team, saying that an officer who was based in Kashmir had been included in the team.

Nasir alleged that the investigation had been compromised and said the newly constituted committee had found the earlier investigation to be flawed.

He called for inquiries against SSP Samiullah Somro and SSP East Zubair Nazir Sheikh, alleging that evidence had been destroyed.

Smartwatch evidence

The lawyer also raised questions regarding a smartwatch believed to be relevant to the investigation.

He claimed that SSP Samiullah Somro had been contacted on Thursday and asked to provide the smartwatch.

Nasir said the handling of such material required greater scrutiny and transparency as investigators continued to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding Raza’s death.

Family seeks answers

Nasir said that he and the family had remained with the investigation committee during its work on Wednesday and Thursday and had shared their concerns and information with the investigators.

He said the family wanted the fresh investigation to establish what happened to Raza between the time he was last seen and the discovery of his body.

The lawyer also criticised the handling of the case by the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police station, saying investigators were still unable to determine whether Raza’s death was a suicide or murder.

Nasir said that the family was concerned that suspects could be protected if evidence was not properly preserved and investigated.

He also warned that no government minister should raise questions over the medical findings without first examining the evidence, saying the family would demand resignations if such questions were raised without justification.

Earlier investigation under scrutiny

Raza reportedly went missing on July 28 after leaving his home, and his body was recovered the following day near Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

The case initially became associated with a suicide theory, while the family rejected that explanation and raised questions over the circumstances of his death.

Following the family’s objections, a court ordered the exhumation of Raza’s body from the Tariq Road graveyard under the supervision of a medical board.

A subsequent post-mortem examination found that Raza had sustained a gunshot wound from behind and signs of injuries on his body, prompting renewed questions over the initial investigation.

A newly constituted investigation team has since visited the location where the body was recovered, questioned people connected to the site and examined material relevant to the case.

The DNA identification process has also confirmed that the body recovered from Gulistan-e-Jauhar was that of Mir Raza, with samples from the body matching those of his parents, according to investigation sources.

“Who created ambiguity in the evidence?” asked the lawyer representing Mir Raza’s family.

“We are hopeful about the new investigation, but so far, we have seen nothing that gives us satisfaction,” he said.

Mir Raza’s father alleged that the SHO of Ferozabad police station summoned his son’s friends for investigation and threatened them.

The latest claims by Nasir are expected to put further focus on the forensic evidence, the chain of custody of samples and digital evidence, as well as the circumstances surrounding Raza’s death.

The investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations raised by the family’s lawyer will be assessed against the forensic record and other evidence collected by investigators.