The planned exhumation of 25-year-old businessman and IBA graduate Mir Raza Ali Khan was postponed on Friday after the medico-legal board to examine the body was reconstituted late at night, prompting the family to reject the same.
Lawyer Jibran Nasir, who represents Ali’s father, said the family’s concerns were reinforced by what he described as suspicious police conduct.
“There appear to be influential individuals behind this case,” he said, alleging that those involved were so influential that even at midnight, ministries and the IG’s office sprang into action to change the medical board.
Nasir said the family would not allow the reconstituted board to examine the body and would only accept an examination by the eight-member panel originally constituted by the Sindh health department.
The dispute centres on the composition and legal authority of the panel appointed to conduct the exhumation and fresh medico-legal examination.
A Karachi court on Thursday authorised the exhumation and directed the police surgeon and Sindh health secretary to constitute a board at the earliest possible time.
The health department initially formed an eight-member panel headed by Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed. Its members included specialists from Dow University of Health Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and other institutions.
However, the Sindh health directorate general subsequently issued an order replacing several members with Prof Dr Zakiuddin of Dow University, Prof Dr Kazi Akbar and Prof Dr Abid Hussain Chang of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, and Hyderabad Police Surgeon Dr Waseem Khan.
Nasir questioned the legal basis for the reconstitution, saying the family would challenge any attempt to proceed with the new panel.
It may be noted that the victim disappeared on July 28 and his body, bearing a gunshot wound, was found the following day in bushes near Shahi Qila Ground in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.
The family believes Ali was kidnapped, tortured and killed, while investigators have examined the possibility that he died by suicide.
Questions over the original post-mortem arose after Dr Syed said some findings appeared inconsistent with photographs of the body. She also noted that gunshot-residue testing had not been conducted.
Police maintain that Ali was facing financial difficulties and had sought money from friends shortly before his death.
