A long-awaited verdict will finally be announced in the Noor Mukadam, whose brutal murder last July shocked the whole country.
A session court in Islamabad will finally announce the reserved verdict in the murder case of Noor Mukadam against prime suspect Zahir Jaffer. Now after seven months of delay in an open and shut case, the concern still remains; will Jaffer be found guilty? Will justice be served in the Noor Mukadam case?
Noor Mukadam
Noor, 27, was found brutally murdered at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale Sector F-7/4 on July 20, 2021. A first information report was registered the same day against Zahir Jaffer— who was arrested from the site of the murder.
Motive of killing
The prime suspect in the murder of Noor Mukadam, Zahir Jeffer, was formally charged for the crime by an Islamabad court in October 2021. Besides him, two of the family’s employees — Jamil and Jan Mohammad — were also indicted, along with Zahoor.
He tortured and raped Noor before slaughtering her head. He murdered the victim because she refused his proposal of marrying him.
Zahir Jaffer’s U-turn
Zahir Jaffer had denied committing the crime and said during a hearing that he lost consciousness and found Noor dead when he woke up. He pleaded not guilty to the killing, saying he was innocent and the family of Noor Mukadam was trying to frame him to get money.
Jaffer’s parents’ involvement
As per the report, Zahir Jaffer’s parents Asmat Adamjee and Zakir Jaffer did not inform the police despite having knowledge of the crime.
According to the watchman, he had informed Zakir Jaffer. Moreover, Zahir Jaffer, too, admitted that he had informed his father before the murder.
The police submitted the challan to a sessions court in Islamabad that stated Noor Mukadam lost six life-saving opportunities due to the active connivance of the accomplices of the principal accused, Zahir, in her murder. “Her life could have been saved had the accomplices acted otherwise,” it noted.
PFSA report
According to the police, the PFSA report confirms the following facts:
Rape was committed with Noor before she was killed; DNA has been confirmed.
Noor attempted to save her life prior to being killed and Zahir’s DNA has been recovered from her fingernails.
The shirt worn by, and recovered from, Zahir was stained with Noor Mukadam’s blood and the DNA has been verified.
Noor Mukadam was killed with a swiss knife recovered from the scene, and her blood was found on the blood and handle.
Noor Mukadam was also attacked with a “knuckle punch” recovered from the crime scene and her blood was found on it.
Noor’s father’s appeal
In a recent hearing, Noor’s father had recorded his statement and urged the court to sentence Zahir Jaffer to death for allegedly killing his daughter.
Verdict
Now the session court headed by judge Atta Rabbani has finally said that the bench would announce the verdict on February 24 i.e. tomorrow.
Will Noor receive justice?
As per the law, Noor’s murder Jaffer should be held accountable by the court and should be given capital punishment, according to the laws. Besides Zahir, his parents especially his father Zakir should be held accountable as his son’s accomplice. Senior lawyers believe that there was no need to give last observation in this order.
