The judicial commission investigating the Mir Raza case on Tuesday suspended its proceedings after Sindh Advocate General Javed Dero intervened during the statement of Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, prompting strong remarks from Commission Chairman Justice Umar Sial.
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The commission also summoned Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar for the next hearing and issued him a notice seeking his position on issues related to the proceedings.
The hearing began with Justice Umar Sial informing the commission about messages and emails it had received regarding the case. Dr Summaiya Syed subsequently began recording her statement before the commission.
The case’s investigating officer, DSP Siraj Lashari, SHO Adeel Afzal, Head Muharrir Zeeshan and members of Mir Raza’s family were present in the courtroom.
Police surgeon details post-mortem procedures
Responding to questions from the commission, Dr Summaiya Syed said she had been serving as Karachi’s police surgeon since June 10, 2022. She said she had conducted around 1,000 post-mortems since 1999 and had carried out 99 exhumations in Karachi and Thatta.
She told the commission that she had once conducted 11 exhumations in a single day in connection with the PIA terrorist attack case.
Dr Summaiya said her role was that of a technical adviser and that her department handled post-mortems in Karachi and Thatta. She said dead bodies were generally brought to the hospital by relatives, police or ambulance services, after which a medico-legal certificate was issued.
She said post-mortems were conducted under Section 174 and that the relevant proceedings were carried out alongside the post-mortem examination. In cases involving unidentified bodies, she said, DNA samples were collected where identification could not be established through fingerprints, facial features or biometric verification.
Dr Summaiya Syed also told the commission that the medico-legal process was being carried out under the Sindh Medico-Legal Act 2023.
Justice Sial said he was seeking the details to familiarise himself with the terms of reference governing the post-mortem process.
Questions raised over Mir Raza post-mortem record
During her testimony, Dr Summaiya Syed gave details of her communications with doctors and police officials regarding photographs and the post-mortem report in the Mir Raza case.
She said she had sought photographs from Dr Osama to clarify the location from which the bullet had exited. According to her, Dr Osama informed her on July 30 that the relevant photograph was available on his laptop.
She said the four-page post-mortem report was subsequently sent to her, but it did not contain a particular note that was later added to the report.
Dr Summaiya Syed said the report had been kept in the medico-legal department’s locker. On July 31, she was informed that photographs showing the bullet exit wound could not yet be provided. Later that day, she received photographs and subsequently received crime-scene images.
She said the requested photograph was not available and that photographs of the back of the body were also missing from the mortuary record. She added that the available photographs of the back did not show blood.
On August 1, she learned that the post-mortem report had been submitted. She said she asked for the report to be brought to her office on the following Monday so that it could be discussed.
Dr Summaiya Syed said that after examining a photograph of the heart on August 2, she questioned the observations recorded in the report. She added that doctors Kamran and Shoaib had assisted Dr Osama.
She said Dr Osama had also shared a Facebook video link, but she did not watch such videos.
According to Dr Summaiya Syed, a soft copy of the report containing an additional note was received on August 2. She said she was told that the closing note had been added as a “safe-side” measure.
She said the report had not been properly brought to her attention before it was submitted.
Dr Summaiya Syed further stated that Dr Osama appeared “very nervous” in a message sent on August 4. She called him to her office on August 5 and told him that he had not properly fulfilled his responsibilities. She said he was no longer performing medico-legal duties.
Police contacts and concerns over evidence
During questioning, Justice Sial asked Dr Summaiya Syed whether she had remained in contact with police officers regarding the post-mortem.
She said she had spoken to SSP Zubair Nazir and had also contacted DIG East Dr Farrukh Lanjar, informing him of her observations, although she did not receive a response.
Dr Summaiya Syed said she also spoke to Samiullah Somro on August 4 and held a meeting with the relevant officers on August 5.
She said the body had been decomposed, but its condition had not been properly reflected in the information provided to her.
Justice Sial noted that the post-mortem report stated that samples had been handed over to police official Nadeem Mughal.
Dr Summaiya Syed explained that samples collected during a post-mortem were preserved separately according to the type of tissue or organ. She said high-profile cases normally did not take so long and that excessive delays in testing samples increased the risk of evidence being compromised.
Commission objects to interruption
The proceedings took a contentious turn when Sindh Advocate General Javed Dero objected to questions being put to the witness by the counsel representing Mir Raza’s family.
Justice Sial expressed displeasure over the intervention and said the family had been assured every possible facility on the directions of Faryal Talpur.
The Advocate General argued that questions should be directed to the commission rather than to the family’s counsel, Jibran Nasir.
Justice Sial responded, “Have you come here to dictate to us?”
The judge subsequently said he could not continue the commission’s proceedings in such a manner.
The commission then halted the hearing, with Justice Sial reportedly leaving the proceedings.
The commission has summoned Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar for the next hearing. He has been asked to appear before the commission and explain, among other matters, whether the deceased’s family could be prevented from asking questions through its counsel.
The next hearing has been scheduled for September 10 at 9am.
