Commission in Pakistan calls forensic expert’s motives questionable — Dawn
A judicial commission in Karachi, Pakistan, stated in a written order that the motives and intentions of forensic medical expert Osama Sheikh, who conducted the first post-mortem examination of businessman Mir Raza Ali, “appear questionable.” The commission is investigating the circumstances of Ali’s murder and possible negligence in the case, Dawn reports.
The body of 25-year-old Mir Raza Ali was found on July 29 in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi, a day after he went missing. The deceased’s family accused police of attempting to conceal facts, after which the commission began regular hearings.
Claim of a social media campaign
During a hearing on Tuesday, Karachi police surgeon Summaya Syed said that Sheikh had instigated a “malicious campaign” against her after she questioned the findings of Ali’s first post-mortem examination. She submitted a letter and documents to the commission which, she said, testify to the campaign.
The one-member commission, headed by Sindh High Court Justice Omar Sial, found the harassment of Syed unacceptable. She had previously also told the commission that she received threats after challenging the results of the first post-mortem examination.
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Verification of messages
The commission asked the director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency in Karachi to examine the exchange of messages between Syed and Sheikh. The agency must also determine whether defamatory messages circulated online meet forensic verification requirements and establish who published them online.
At a previous hearing, Sheikh said that he had not been influenced or pressured while conducting the post-mortem examination and had not stated anywhere in his report that Ali died as a result of suicide. The commission expressed dissatisfaction with his explanations because of discrepancies between the initial and final reports. Sheikh maintained that the final report was issued after exhumation and a second post-mortem examination, carried out following 14 observations by Syed.
Ali’s family also told the commission that, in its view, the creation of another special medical board may be under consideration. Justice Sial noted that if this information is confirmed, it could nullify the work carried out by the commission and prevent it from reaching final conclusions. He also pointed to inadequate police communication with the family and the absence of some materials required by the commission.
