Sindh IG asked to take action against police officials over negligence in Mir Raza case

The Sindh government has asked the inspector general of police (IGP) to take action against police officials found responsible by the judicial commission for negligence in the Mir Raza case.

The judicial commission identified “criminal negligence” on the part of Ferozabad police station Station House Officer (SHO) Adeel Afzal. It also held Sub-Inspector Shabbir Leghari, the first investigating officer in the case, responsible for criminal negligence. The commission recommended disciplinary proceedings against him and called for his suspension.

The commission recommended forming a high-level committee, preferably led by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), to initiate criminal proceedings against police officials found responsible.

Following this recommendation, the Sindh government approached the federal Ministry of Interior and requested the FIA to nominate a senior investigation officer, not below BS-20, to head the committee.

DIG Irfan Baloch and Special Branch DIG Naeem Ahmed Sheikh would serve as members of the proposed committee.

The Sindh government has also formed a one-member committee, headed by Additional Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Counterterrorism Department (CTD) Sindh Zulfiqar Ali Larik, to examine the police officers named in the commission’s report. DIG Baloch would assist the committee.

According to the notification, the committee has been assigned four tasks:

1. Examine each police officer and official named in the commission’s report and assess their leadership and efficiency in light of the specific observations against them.

2. Evaluate their overall performance in policing.

3. Further investigate Inspector Ghaus’s role in the burning of the crime scene.

4. Submit findings and recommendations regarding each officer and official to the Sindh IGP.