Forensic report raises fresh questions in Mir Raza case

According to the forensic report, the 30-bore shell recovered from the scene was compared with two test shells fired from pistol number LA-1197.

KARACHI: A forensic examination in the Mir Raza case has raised fresh questions about the circumstances surrounding the death of the young businessman, with investigators finding that a shell recovered from the crime scene did not match the pistol issued to a security guard.

According to the forensic report, the 30-bore shell recovered from the scene was compared with two test shells fired from pistol number LA-1197. The examination found differences in the markings made by the striker pin and breech face, indicating that the recovered shell was not fired from the same weapon.

The report relates to FIR No. 795/2026 registered at Firozabad Police Station, which includes allegations concerning kidnapping, murder and destruction of evidence.

Mir Raza’s family lawyer, Jibran Nasir, said the finding was significant because the shell was recovered several days after the businessman’s body was found. He alleged that the police had been aware of the forensic findings but had not disclosed them while pursuing what he described as a suicide narrative.

Nasir said two empty shells from the security company’s pistol had previously been provided to police as part of the weapon’s official record. He questioned why the newly recovered shell did not match those samples and why the development had not been disclosed earlier, including before the Sindh High Court.

The lawyer also raised concerns over the handling of the location where Mir Raza’s body was discovered. He alleged that the site was burned during an effort to locate the missing shell and claimed that the crime scene was subsequently compromised.

According to Nasir, several police station heads were present when the shell was eventually recovered on August 6. He alleged that the circumstances surrounding its discovery required further investigation and independent scrutiny.

Mir Raza’s family has repeatedly questioned the police investigation and called for greater transparency in the case. Nasir also criticised the Sindh government for resisting the formation of a Joint Investigation Team, arguing that the family should not have been required to rely solely on the same police officials whose conduct it had questioned.

The latest forensic finding is likely to add further pressure on investigators and authorities to establish how the shell reached the crime scene and whether it has any connection with Mir Raza’s death. The case remains under investigation, while questions over the handling and preservation of evidence continue to fuel demands for a transparent probe.