IHC reserves verdict on pleas against conviction, acquittal in Noor Mukadam case

• IHC says parties can submit arguments over pleas in 7 days.
• Hears separate pleas against conviction of Zahir Jaffer and acquittal of accused. 
• Noor's father has challenged acquittal of Zahir's parents.

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved a verdict on the pleas challenging the sentences awarded to the convicts and pleas against the acquittal of co-accused in Noor Mukadam murder case. 

A local court in Islamabad had sentenced the prime accused, Zahir Jaffer, to death for killing Noor after a long-drawn trial of over four months. Meanwhile, co-accused Jan Muhammad and Muhammad Iftikhar — the gardener and security guard at Zahir's house — have been sentenced to 10 years in prison each.

However, Zahir's mother Asmat Adamjee, father Zakir Jaffer and cook Jamil, along with all employees of Therapy Works, were acquitted. 

Today, the high court reserved its verdict on the pleas and remarked that the lawyers of the parties can submit their additional arguments on the pleas within seven days. 

The verdict was reserved after arguments from parties over separate pleas against the death sentence handed out to convict Zahir, and the acquittal of convicts and accused — filed by Noor’s father.  

The case

Twenty-seven-year-old Noor was found dead at the residence of the prime suspect, Zahir Jaffer, in Islamabad's upscale Sector F-7/4 on July 20, 2021.

The gruesome murder sent shockwaves across the country and sparked nationwide outrage and calls for justice for Noor which resulted in the successful trial and eventual conviction of her murderer. 

After a first information report (FIR) was registered under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on behalf of Noor's father — former Pakistani ambassador Shaukat Ali Mukadam — Zahir was arrested with a murder weapon and bloodstained clothes from the crime scene on the day of the killing.

According to Noor's father, Zahir killed Noor with a sharp instrument and severed her head.

As the police went deeper into investigations, Zahir's parents were found involved in concealing evidence and assisting their son in the crime. Both Zahir's mother and father were arrested on July 25, 2021.

However, the couple was later granted bail on separate occasions as they reached out to higher courts for release on bail.

Moreover, six employees of Therapy Works, a leading therapy and drug rehabilitation centre in Islamabad, were also arrested.

The organisation came under scrutiny after it was revealed that Zahir Jaffer, had himself been associated with Therapy Works.

Moreover, Zahir was sent on judicial and physical remands multiple times for interrogations before the trial started.

The trial of the gruesome murder continued for four months and eight days. The trial court finally reached a decision in the high-profile case after multiple twists and deferrals on February 24.