Police pressuring Mir Raza Ali’s friends to portray murder as suicide, alleges father

KARACHI: The father of Mir Raza Ali, Mir Hussain Ali, has questioned the police investigation into his son’s death, alleging that evidence has not been properly secured and that his son’s friends and employees are being intimidated to support a suicide narrative.

Speaking exclusively to ARY News, Mir Hussain Ali questioned why police had not conducted a forensic examination of his deceased son’s smartwatch.

He alleged that SSP Special Investigation Unit Samiullah Soomro was still carrying the smartwatch with him instead of having it seized, sealed and handed over for forensic examination.

“He is carrying it around in his pocket. Is this what you call an investigation?” he questioned, alleging serious lapses in the handling of evidence.

Mir Hussain Ali also criticised the police for not sharing details of the investigation with the family during the first 11 days following Raza’s disappearance.

“For 11 days, the police did not share any information with us. They did not tell us how many people they were picking up including those arrested from the guest house,” he said.

Mir Hussain said the family had repeatedly sought CCTV footage from the guest house but had yet to receive the complete recordings.

“We have been asking for videos of the guest house for 10 days. They kept telling us they would give them today or tomorrow, but they have been evading our demand. Yet, we have still not received any video,” he alleged.

The father further alleged that police had provided the media with selected short clips from the guest house’s DVR, rather than the complete footage, claiming that the clips were being used to shape the narrative surrounding the case.

He questioned where the remaining CCTV footage was and maintained that Raza had not gone to the guest house, but had instead gone towards the road.

Mir Hussain Ali also alleged that police were threatening and subjecting Raza’s friends and employees to mental torture in an attempt to force them to change their statements and say that Raza had committed suicide.

He alleged that SHO Ferozabad Police Station had pressured Raza’s friends and employees and warned them against participating in protests against Raza’s murder. He also alleged that they had been instructed not to be seen at the family’s home or answer calls from them.

“What kind of law is this? Who exactly are they trying to intimidate?” he questioned.

Father of Mir Raza Ali urges police to bring killers to justice

Expressing concern over Raza’s childhood friends and classmates, he said the family had been worried about them for the past 11 days.

“Not a single one of these kids has come to see us or meet us. We have known them since childhood; they are nowhere to be seen,” he said.

He added that when he spoke to three of them, they told him they had been instructed not to visit or contact the family.

“What kind of law is this? Are we living under the law of the jungle?” he questioned.

Raza, 25, went missing on July 28. His body was found a day later in bushes near Shahi Qila Ground in Gulistan-i-Jauhar with a gunshot wound.