Mir Raza commission warns businessman over media interviews

The judicial commission probing the Mir Raza Ali murder case warned businessman Ahmed on Monday over his media interviews, terming them an apparent attempt to undermine the commission’s proceedings, while the doctor who conducted the first post-mortem stood by his findings that the bullet entered the body from the front and exited through the back. The commission issued its written order for Monday’s proceedings, stating that the statements of Umer Khan, Ali Shaz, Kazim Hussain, Ahmed Hassan Sheikh and Health Services Director General Pervez Ahmed Sheikh were recorded. DG Sheikh also submitted documents relating to the formation and replacement of the medical board. According to the order, Ahmed was allowed to answer questions raised by Mir Raza’s family and provide relevant information. However, he could not provide anything beyond the statements he had already made before the commission. The commission observed that Ahmed’s social media interviews apparently appeared aimed at undermining its proceedings and warned him against such conduct in future. It also noted that he had failed to use an opportunity to provide information through an affidavit. During the proceedings, a lawyer who had taken a journalist’s mobile phone apologised, which was accepted by the journalist. Read More: Mir Raza commission summons first IO Mir Raza’s fiancée also contacted the commission and informed it about the confiscation of the mobile phone and the alleged transfer of data by the investigating officer. The commission said it would question DSP Siraj Lashari when his statement is recorded. Dr Usama also appeared before the commission and later spoke to the media. “I stand by my first post-mortem report,” he said, adding that the bullet had entered from the front and exited through the back. Dr Usama said he personally conducted the post-mortem on July 29 and that no other person had performed the examination. He said he had not known Mir Raza and had shared his findings with Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, adding that he had acted on her instructions. He said the physical copy of the report was submitted on August 3 and had been prepared to the best of his professional ability based on his findings from July 29. Dr Usama also clarified that he did not intend to declare Mir Raza’s death a suicide, saying he wanted to explain his position regarding the bullet wound to the chest. Regarding his observations about hydrochloric acid and decomposition, he said acid could cause certain changes to a body, including reddening of the face, while decomposition could appear differently on different parts of the body. He said he had informed Dr Summaiya about the matter at around 5 pm and maintained that if acid had been used, its effects would not necessarily have appeared uniformly across the entire body. However, the commission observed that Dr Usama’s further statement appeared aimed at levelling allegations against Dr Summaiya and the Sindh chief minister. It said the commission should not become a forum for allegations and that it had sufficient information to establish the facts of the case and determine whether any negligence had occurred. Dr Usama said he had brought all his July 29 findings before the commission and remained satisfied with his original report. He added that doctors generally had 24 hours to submit a post-mortem report and that he had not anticipated the matter would become such a major controversy. He said photographs taken during the autopsy were kept for his professional record, adding that Dr Summaiya was the signing authority for the first report. “My family has been worried since the first day,” he said, adding that his clinic had also remained closed for a month. The commission has issued notices to ASP Nida, Asif, Abid, Faizur Rehman and Sarim to appear during proceedings scheduled for September 22.