Karachi — A city court has approved a petition to exhume the grave of young businessman Mir Raza, clearing the way for a fresh postmortem as his family continues to press for answers about the circumstances of his death.
The court directed authorities to carry out its order without delay and instructed the Health Secretary to form a medical board to oversee the exhumation and the second postmortem examination.
Father’s Petition Leads to Court Order
The City Court approved the exhumation petition filed by Mir Raza’s father, Mir Hassan, who argued that the original investigation had left key questions about his son’s death unanswered.
Mir Hassan told the court that exhuming the grave was necessary so a fresh postmortem could establish the true cause of death and help identify anyone responsible if foul play is confirmed.
The family said it had completed consultations with its legal team before approaching the court.
The investigation into Mir Raza’s alleged murder remains ongoing.
What Happened in Court
Before issuing its order, the court had reserved its verdict after hearing initial arguments on the petition.
During the hearing, Advocate Jibran Nasir, representing the family, urged the court to summon the investigating officer within the hour and argued that the Health Secretary could assemble a medical board within a few hours if directed to do so.
The district magistrate said the investigating officer should be heard before any decision on the petition, to which Nasir responded that a notice could be issued to the officer if needed.
At one point during the proceedings, the district magistrate remarked that the government, the media, and Nasir himself all appeared to be supporting the family’s case — to which the court replied that Jibran Nasir is already with you</cite>.
Lawyer Cites Urgency and Investigative Gaps
Nasir told the court that time was critical, arguing the postmortem should ideally take place the following day to prevent further deterioration of the body.
He said the police surgeon had identified shortcomings in the original postmortem and argued police should have sought exhumation themselves rather than leaving it to the family.
According to Nasir, the parents were forced to go to court because exhumation had become necessary to determine both the cause of death and those responsible, alleging that police appeared eager to close the case quickly.
Nasir also said the postmortem report prepared by Dr. Osama was being contested within the Police Surgeon’s Office, and claimed that the complainant’s statement still had not been recorded even after an FIR was registered.
He argued that rumors continued to spread while evidence remained improperly collected and said government institutions had a duty to reassure the complainant that the investigation was being conducted fairly.
Father Says Family Has Lost Confidence in the Investigation
Speaking to Samaa TV, Mir Hassan described the toll the case has taken on his family, saying it was painful to see his son suffer and now equally painful to see his grave dug up.
He said the family remains unconvinced by the police investigation, describing it as shifting between different explanations — sometimes framed around financial issues, sometimes around other angles.
Mir Hassan pushed back on suggestions that debt could explain his son’s death, stressing that the case should be treated as a murder investigation rather than a financial dispute.
He also questioned the whereabouts of Dr. Osama, who conducted the first postmortem, and called for an inquiry into what he described as the erasure of his son’s identity in the case.
He said police have yet to formally acknowledge the case as a murder, and claimed the family’s own statement still has not been recorded despite the time that has passed. He added that the family has often learned details from media reports before receiving them from police.
Family Says Goal Is Justice, Not Publicity
Mir Hassan said the decision to pursue exhumation was made solely in pursuit of justice for his son. He said the family remains distressed by the process but is not satisfied with how the investigation has been handled so far, noting that explanations have ranged from debt to suicide without clarity on who may be responsible.
With the court now approving the exhumation, authorities are expected to constitute the medical board and carry out the second postmortem in line with the court’s directives.
The fresh forensic findings are expected to play a significant role in the ongoing investigation as the family continues to seek clarity about the circumstances of Mir Raza’s death.
