Mir Raza Ali’s Body Exhumed in Karachi as Original Medical Board Restored

KARACHI: The body of 25-year-old businessman and Institute of Business Administration (IBA) graduate Mir Raza Ali was exhumed on Saturday after the Sindh government reinstated the original medical board tasked with examining his remains.

The exhumation was carried out in the presence of the investigation officer, members of the eight-person medical team, Ali’s parents and a judicial magistrate, according to his father’s lawyer, Advocate Jibran Nasir.

The procedure had initially been scheduled for Friday but was delayed after the family raised objections over a sudden change in the composition of the medical board and the inclusion of doctors from outside the Karachi division.

Mir Raza Ali Death Case Under Investigation

Mir Raza Ali, who owned the food business Wafflix, went missing on July 28. His body was discovered the following day in bushes near Shahi Qila Ground in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Karachi.

He had suffered a gunshot wound.

Ali’s family has maintained that he was kidnapped, subjected to torture and subsequently killed. Investigators, however, have continued examining the possibility that the young businessman died by suicide.

The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation, with the exhumation and fresh medical examination expected to provide additional evidence.

Lawyer Calls for Clarity in Investigation

Speaking to journalists in Karachi, Jibran Nasir said the family wanted the medical examination to establish the facts surrounding Ali’s death.

He also criticised what he described as the circulation of incomplete CCTV footage and messages without proper context, arguing that such material had contributed to speculation and premature conclusions about the case.

Nasir questioned why the medical board had been changed suddenly and said the authorities had not provided a satisfactory explanation for the decision.

He expressed hope that the medical board's findings would help determine whether Ali's death was a case of murder or suicide.

The lawyer also raised concerns over reports that police had shared audio evidence with media organisations before informing the victim's parents.

Original Medical Board Restored

The controversy surrounding the medical board began after concerns were raised over aspects of the medico-legal report prepared following Ali's initial post-mortem examination.

Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed had reportedly reviewed the existing post-mortem report and photographs and noted that some observations in the report did not appear consistent with the available photographic evidence.

Following a court order permitting the exhumation, the Sindh health department formed an eight-member medical board. Dr Summaiya Syed was appointed as its convener.

The board included specialists and officials from institutions including Dow University of Health Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

However, the composition of the board was changed through an order issued by the Sindh health department early Friday. The revised panel had five members while Dr Syed continued as its convener.

Ali's family objected to the change and the planned exhumation was subsequently postponed.

Judicial Intervention in Mir Raza Ali Case

A judicial magistrate had earlier approved the exhumation application submitted by Ali’s father, Mir Hussain Ali.

The court directed the relevant health and police authorities to establish a medical board and conduct the examination.

Following the restoration of the original eight-member board, the exhumation proceeded on Saturday at the Tariq Road graveyard.

Nasir thanked the judiciary for its intervention and said judicial involvement had helped move the investigation forward after several days of uncertainty.

Murder or Suicide? Medical Findings May Provide Answers

The central question in the case remains whether Mir Raza Ali was murdered or died by suicide.

The new examination of his remains is expected to provide important forensic evidence that could assist investigators in determining the circumstances of his death.

The medical board's findings could also influence the direction of the police investigation and help address questions raised by Ali's family regarding the original post-mortem examination.

Authorities are expected to review the medical findings alongside other available evidence, including CCTV footage, digital communications and audio material, before reaching a final conclusion.