Sindh Home Minister Calls Doctor Samia’s Threat Claim Publicity Attempt

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar has described Police Surgeon Dr Samia’s statement about receiving threats during the Mir Raza case investigation as an attempt to gain publicity.

Dr Samia had told the judicial commission that she had received serious threats from unidentified individuals and that motorcycle riders had allegedly been following her.

Reacting to the statement, Lanjar said some people make such claims for publicity. He reiterated that the government would implement whatever orders were issued by the judicial commission.

During proceedings before the judicial commission on Sunday, Dr Samia said motorcycle riders had been following her for the previous two days.

She also told the commission that she had allegedly been warned that if she recorded the cause of Mir Raza’s death as suicide, she would be treated leniently.

The police surgeon further said that her husband’s name and the address of their residence had been circulated on social media.

Dr Samia also provided details of her observations from the crime scene and medical examination.

She said only a small amount of blood had been found at the crime scene, whereas an injury to the heart would ordinarily be expected to result in more bleeding.

She also told the commission that there was an injury on the back of Mir Raza’s head which appeared to have been caused by a hard object.

According to her testimony, Mir Raza’s nasal bone was also fractured.

The judicial commission offered Dr Samia Rangers security in view of the threats she described.

She declined the offer for the time being.

However, the commission took the issue seriously and directed that letters be sent to the Sindh Chief Minister and Home Minister regarding the alleged threats.

The commission is continuing to examine Dr Samia’s testimony along with the medical and forensic evidence in the Mir Raza case.

The allegations concerning threats remain unverified, while authorities have yet to establish who, if anyone, was responsible for the reported intimidation.