Police Surgeon Says She Was Threatened in Mir Raza Murder Probe

KARACHI: Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed has told the judicial commission investigating businessman Mir Raza Ali's death that she faced threats and was followed by men on motorcycles after challenging the initial medical findings in the high-profile case. Her testimony on Monday introduced a fresh security concern into an inquiry already examining alleged investigative and forensic shortcomings surrounding the young man's death.

Dr Summaiya told the commission that she was followed for two days and had received threats after questioning the earlier conclusion that had pointed towards suicide. She also said she had filed a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency over the intimidation and an online campaign that she said was targeting her. The police surgeon told the panel that her principal concern was the safety of her family.

Justice Omar Sial, who is heading the one-member judicial commission, asked whether she required protection. Dr Summaiya declined both police and Rangers security when those options were raised. The judge nevertheless expressed serious concern over the alleged threats and directed the relevant focal person to inform Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar about the matter.

The police surgeon also presented further forensic observations regarding Ali's death. She told the commission that the businessman had an injury to his head, a broken nasal bone and signs that a hard object had struck the back of his head while he was alive. She said chemical burn marks were found on parts of his body and that hydrochloric acid was detected on his shirt. According to her testimony, forensic findings also indicated that the bullet entered from Ali's back, struck his heart and exited his body.

Ali, an IBA graduate and businessman, was found dead in Karachi's Gulistan-e-Jauhar on July 29, a day after he went missing. His family has consistently rejected the initial suggestion that he died by suicide and has maintained that he was murdered. Questions over the first post-mortem examination later led to the exhumation of his body and a second examination, which identified multiple injuries and added momentum to demands for a transparent investigation.

The judicial commission has already faced controversy during earlier proceedings. Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar appeared before the panel after an intervention by the provincial advocate general drew criticism from the commission. Lanjar subsequently offered an unconditional apology and assured the panel that the provincial government wanted the facts established and justice delivered. Justice Sial has previously noted the family's low level of confidence in the investigation and stressed the importance of restoring public trust.

The latest testimony raises broader questions about the protection of medical and forensic professionals who challenge disputed findings in criminal investigations. The case has attracted significant public attention in Pakistan because of competing accounts of Ali's death, alleged flaws in evidence handling and the family's repeated calls for accountability. The commission's findings could have implications for confidence in medico-legal procedures and police investigations in other sensitive cases.

Further commission proceedings are expected to examine the forensic evidence, the handling of the original investigation and the circumstances surrounding the alleged threats. Authorities will also face scrutiny over the complaint already submitted regarding intimidation of the police surgeon. The inquiry remains focused on establishing how Ali died, whether evidence was mishandled or overlooked, and whether any officials bear responsibility for failures identified during the investigation.