KARACHI: Police investigators on Friday reached the conclusion that seasoned politician and Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani committed suicide by shooting himself to death after killing his wife Fariha Razzak Haroon, a former member of the provincial assembly at their house a day earlier over some ‘domestic dispute’.

South-Zone DIG Azad Khan said that “on the basis of available crime scene/circumstantial evidence and initial post-mortem report, it appears that Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani killed his wife and then committed suicide with the same weapon.”

Two police guards posted outside the house and four domestic servants in their initial statements before the investigators claimed that “altercations had been going on between him and his wife for the past few days on some issue”.

According to initial forensic/ballistic report prepared by the Forensic Science Laboratory of the police, all the spent bullet casings collected from the crime scene have been fired from the same weapon.

Mr Bijarani and his wife were found shot dead in their room on the first floor of their house located in Khayaban-i-Janbaz, Phase-5, DHA. The room was locked from inside and it was forced opened by the son and servants of the Mr Bijarani.

Darakshan police said they had received the information about the incident at around 2:30pm. The said that upon receipt of the information, Darakhshan SHO and DSP/SDPO rushed to the house and collected evidence.

The body of Fariha Razzaq Haroon lay on the floor near the entrance of the study/sitting room next to their bedroom and the body of Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani was found on the couch in the same room, according to the media release issued by the police.

An inspection of the crime scene and the bodies indicated that the death was caused by bullet wounds.

Mr Bijarani received one gunshot in the head whereas Ms Fariha received three bullets -- one in the head and two in the abdomen, the police said, adding that the crime scene was secured and properly photographed.

Forensic, finger print and investigation teams were called in; the DVR of the CCTV cameras installed at the house have been taken into custody for further examination, they said.

The investigation and forensic teams collected evidence like blood samples, bullet empties, finger prints etc for forensic/chemical examination.

Four empties, three missed bullets, two live bullets and a 30 bore pistol were found at the crime scene and taken into custody.

A post-mortem examination of the bodies was performed at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

Later, Mr Bijarani’s body was sent to his native town Karampur in Khandhkot-Kashmore district.

The coffin of Fariha Razzak was taken away from the mortuary of PN Shifa hospital by Fahad Haroon, her son from her first husband.

Her funeral prayers were held at Sultan Masjid in Defence after Juma prayers. Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, Additional Karachi IG Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar, Motorway Police DIG Shahid Hayat, former federal information minister Javed Jabbar, MQM-P leader Faizal Subzwari, PTI leader Faisal Vawda, former home minister Irfanullah Marwat, DIG East Sultan Ali Khowaja, SSP South Javed Akbar Riaz and a large number of people from all walks of life attended.

Fariha Razzak was laid to rest in a Defence graveyard near Qayoomabad.

Speaking to the media, Javed Jabbar said that the late Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani was his class fellow and Fariha Razzak was a friend of his wife. The couple was living a pleasant life, he said.

Senior lawyer Khawaja Naveed also recalled his days when he spent good times with Mir Bijarani as class fellows in the S.M. Law College.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2018