The parents of Mir Raza Ali – owner of Wafflix, secured a court order on Thursday to exhume their son’s body for a fresh post-mortem.
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The Judicial Magistrate (East) approved the exhumation request and directed the Sindh Health Secretary to immediately constitute a medical board to supervise the process. The court instructed authorities to carry out the order as quickly as possible.
“We have already seen our son suffer. It hurts us that his grave now has to be reopened,” his father, Mir Hussain, told the court, insisting that the family is seeking only one thing: justice.
The exhumation is scheduled for Friday at 9 am, meanwhile the court also ordered to constitute a medical board for fresh post-mortem.
Family challenges official investigation
Mir Raza‘s body was found on July 29 and was buried after an initial post-mortem examination. However, his parents later approached the court, expressing doubts over both the cause of death and the investigation.
Representing the family, lawyer Jibran Nasir argued that exhumation was essential to establish the true cause of death and determine whether investigators could identify those responsible.
“The objective is to reach the real perpetrators or determine the actual cause of death,” Nasir told the court.
He alleged that the investigation suffered from serious shortcomings, claiming police had failed to seek exhumation despite objections raised over the initial autopsy report conducted by Dr Osama Sheikh MLO at JPMC, Karachi.
Also Read: Mir Raza Ali Case, Police surgeon
flags 14 Flaws in post-mortem report
Nasir further argued that the complainant’s statement had not been recorded even after registration of the case, while crucial evidence had not been collected despite widespread speculation surrounding the incident.
According to him, the Police Surgeon’s Office had also pointed out deficiencies in the original post-mortem report prepared by Dr. Osama, making an independent medical examination necessary.
During the hearing, Nasir warned that delaying the procedure could affect forensic evidence, urging the court to order the formation of a medical board without waiting for further procedural delays.
Initially, the magistrate insisted on hearing the investigating officer before passing orders, but later reserved – and subsequently announced – the decision in favour of the family, meanwhile, the prosecution did not oppose the request.
Father questions direction of probe
Outside the courtroom, Mir Hussain criticized investigators for focusing on his son’s financial affairs rather than establishing how he died.
“One day they talk about finances, another day about something else. We are talking about a murder,” he said.
“If my son had debts, then the whole country has debts,” he remarked, rejecting suggestions that financial issues could explain the circumstances surrounding his son’s death.
He also questioned why the doctor who conducted the original post-mortem was no longer available to answer concerns over the report.
The grieving father further alleged that police had yet to formally record the family’s statement and accused investigators of giving conflicting versions privately and publicly.
“Our only demand is justice,” he said.
Police defend investigation
Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho defended the investigation, saying Karachi Police had worked extensively on the case and had traced the sequence of events.
“The police have worked very hard on the Mir Raza case and have traced the entire case,” the provincial police chief said.
He acknowledged that some confusion had emerged during the investigation but criticized commentary from individuals not officially connected with the medico-legal process.
Also Read: Mir Raza Ali Case, Karachi Police Chief Offers
Exhumation for Fresh Post-Mortem
Odho said police had no objection to the formation of a medical board and maintained that the investigation would proceed according to the medical board’s findings.
“The medical experts will decide the matter, and the investigation will move forward in accordance with their conclusions,” he said.
Eight-member medical board formed
The court directed the Sindh Health Secretary and the Police Surgeon to constitute an eight-member medico-legal board to supervise the exhumation and carry out a complete forensic examination.
The board includes:
- Professor Dr. Naseem Ahmed (Dow Medical College)
- Dr. Farah Wasim (Sindh Medical College)
- Aamir Hassan Khan (CPLC Forensic Identification Expert)
- Dr. Shree Chand (Additional Police Surgeon)
- Dr. Kamran Khan (JPMC)
- Dr. Daniyal Mirza (JPMC)
- Dr. Muhammad Yaseen (Police Surgeon’s Office)
- Dr. Sumaiya Syed (Police Surgeon Karachi)
The court directed the board to conduct a complete post-mortem examination, including DNA testing, forensic analysis, X-rays and chemical examinations, to scientifically determine the cause of death.
The Station House Officer (SHO) of Ferozabad Police Station has also been directed to coordinate with investigators and make all necessary arrangements for the exhumation.
The court said the fresh examination should include a complete post-mortem, forensic analysis, DNA testing, X-rays and any necessary chemical examinations to scientifically determine the cause of death.
The Station House Officer (SHO) of Ferozabad Police Station was also directed to make all necessary arrangements for the exhumation in coordination with the investigating officer.
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The findings of the medical board are now expected to play a crucial role in determining the next direction of one of Karachi’s most closely watched death investigations.
Mir Raza Ali, owner of Karachi-based food business Wafflix, was found dead in Gulistan-e-Jauhar on July 29 after being reported missing.
The case has attracted widespread public attention following conflicting claims regarding the cause of death, questions over the initial post-mortem report, and the family’s insistence that he was murdered.
The findings of the fresh medical board are expected to play a key role in determining the future direction of the investigation.
