Mir Raza case: Doctor denies being pressured to change post-mortem report

The medico-legal officer, who conducted Mir Raza Ali’s first post-mortem, has denied facing any political or administrative pressure to change the report.

Dr Usama recorded his statement before the judicial commission, headed by Justice Omar Sial. During the hearing, the commission reprimanded him over what it described as incorrect and controversial reports and raised questions about discrepancies between the initial and final post-mortem reports.

The MLO stated that the final report was issued on August 11 and was prepared in light of chemical analysis reports obtained after the exhumation.

Lawyer Jibran Nasir informed the commission that samples had been handed over to police on July 29, while police submitted them to the laboratory on August 6. The commission questioned what had prompted the change in the report and observed that the handwriting on the final report also differed from that on the earlier report.

The commission asked Dr Usama whether he had prepared both reports and whether a forensic examination should be conducted. It also questioned whether the discrepancy was the result of a mistake, negligence or facilitation of murder, and asked who had ordered the report to be changed.

Dr Usama denied facing any political or administrative pressure. The commission also questioned him about the presence of anaesthetic agents in Mir Raza’s blood. Dr Usama said anaesthetics could remain in the blood for eight to 12 hours.

The commission asked how anaesthetics could have been detected in the blood if the body was 24 to 36 hours old. Jibran Nasir said the final report had reduced the estimated time of death to 20 to 22 hours.

The commission also questioned how the anaesthetic entered Mir Raza’s body and whether it could have been administered through a spray. Dr Usama said all information and facts had been shared with Dr Summiya.

During the hearing, the commission also asked Dr Usama why he had been summoned to the Chief Minister’s House.

Dr Usama said DIG East Farrukh Lanjar had called him and asked him to come to the Chief Minister’s House, where SSP Samiullah Soomro was also present. He said they had asked him to provide a timeline of events.