Mir Raza Case Commission orders cyber probe into campaign against police surgeon

Mir Raza Case proceedings have taken a new turn after the judicial commission ordered a comprehensive cyber investigation into an online campaign against Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed.

The one-member commission, headed by Sindh High Court Justice Umar Sial, directed the Karachi director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to nominate a senior officer to investigate the campaign and submit a detailed report.

The agency was also asked to examine messages exchanged between Dr Summaiya and medico-legal officer Dr Osama Sheikh. It will assess whether material circulating online has been forensically altered and identify those responsible for leaking or distributing it.

According to the commission’s written order, Dr Summaiya told the panel that portions of a private conversation had allegedly been leaked and circulated in a way that damaged her reputation. She said the campaign had caused her severe distress and could discourage senior professionals from helping junior colleagues correct mistakes.

The commission noted that Dr Osama had appeared before it three times but had not submitted the complete recording of the conversation. Parts of the exchange were allegedly shared with media organisations and digital platforms.

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Dr Summaiya said she was prepared to provide the complete recording to the commission if allowed. She argued that reviewing the full conversation would help prevent its contents from being misunderstood or taken out of context.

The commission also examined differences between the initial and subsequent post-mortem reports in the case. It noted that Dr Osama had endorsed the interim report but disputed the final report prepared after a second examination by a medical board.

The panel observed that when an initial autopsy is conducted by one doctor and a later examination is carried out by a multi-member medical board, the subsequent report assumes greater evidentiary significance. The commission also questioned Dr Osama’s initial conclusions about the bullet’s entry and exit wounds.

The commission expressed concern over what it described as a campaign against Dr Summaiya. It said an experienced professional should not face harassment for carrying out her duties and noted that she had previously told the panel about threats, surveillance and the circulation of personal information online.

In an earlier order, the commission had also questioned Dr Osama’s conduct and raised concerns about his public statements and the targeting of institutions involved in the case. The latest order said his actions appeared to risk undermining the commission’s proceedings.

Dr Osama has previously rejected allegations that he was under pressure while conducting the first post-mortem. He has also disputed aspects of Dr Summaiya’s account of the case. The commission’s cyber investigation is expected to establish the authenticity and source of the disputed digital material.

The commission is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Mir Raza Ali, whose body was found in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar on 29 July, a day after he went missing. The panel has also raised concerns about incomplete case records and requested an extension to submit its final report.