The Punjab Forensic Science Agency has failed to unlock slain entrepreneur Mir Raza Ali’s iPhone, leaving investigators without access to potentially important digital evidence, according to media reports.
The forensic agency informed the investigation committee in writing that it was unable to access the device.
The iPhone and Mir Raza’s Apple Watch will now be returned to the committee.
Investigators recovered several screenshots and messages from the Apple Watch, but the material was not considered significant to the case.
The devices were initially sent to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on August 13. The investigation committee recalled both devices two days later, on August 15, after which Investigation Officer Siraj Lashari sent them to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency for examination.
Mir Raza’s family had earlier raised concerns about the handling of the devices by the NCCIA.
Meanwhile, the investigation has drawn criticism from Mir Raza’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, who accused the Sindh police and provincial government of protecting those responsible for his murder.
Speaking to the media, Nasir said the investigation team was engaged in “tomfoolery” instead of making progress and questioned why a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had not yet been formed.
He also claimed that the shell recovered from the crime scene was unrelated to the case.
“The investigation is being turned into a spectacle and a film is being made,” Nasir said, questioning the work of the investigation team headed by DIG Aamir Farooqi.
Police have yet to trace any suspects and have submitted an interim challan to the judicial magistrate.
No suspect has been nominated in the document, although charges relating to kidnapping, murder and destruction of evidence have been included in the case.
Forensic reports on Mir Raza’s mobile phone, Apple Watch and SIM card data remain pending, along with details of his Binance account and forensic examinations of mobile phones belonging to his business partners.
