ISLAMABAD: Zahir Jaffer, primary accused in the Noor Mukadam murder case, was carried to court on a chair by policemen during the hearing in an Islamabad sessions court on Monday, with his lawyer contending that his mental condition had “worsened”.
Junior lawyer Usman Riaz Gul was representing Zahir during today’s proceedings as the accused’s counsel, Advocate Sikandar Zulqarnain Saleem, did not appear before the court.
Prior to his joining, Gul drew the court’s attention to Zahir’s absence from the hearing. When the judge also took notice of Zahir’s absence, Akram Qureshi — counsel for Therapyworks owner Tahir Zahoor, a co-accused in the case — informed him that Zahir was not in a condition to be able to walk.
At that, Judge Rabbani remarked that he had written a letter to the jail authorities, directing them to get Zahir’s medical check-up done. Eventually, Zahir, who was seen sitting hunched over in a chair, was carried to the courtroom by policemen.
“The mental condition of the accused has worsened,” said Gul, upon Zahir’s arrival. Judge Rabbani then repeated that he had written a letter to jail authorities, directing them regarding Zahir’s medical check-up.
Meanwhile, back in the courtroom, Gul requested the court to issue a written order regarding Zahir’s medical check-up and treatment. “I already issued a written order at the previous hearing,” Judge Rabbani remarked.
On the other hand, the last witness in the Noor Mukadam case, Investigation Officer Abdul Sattar Khan recorded his statement. Sattar, who investigated the murder case, is the last witness in the case against prime accused Zahir Jaffer and others.
During the hearing, Sattar said he was working as the in-charge of City Zone police station on July 20 when he got a call at 10 pm about the murder of Noor. “When I reached there, the complainant Shaukat Mukadam, ASI Zubair Mazhar, and Lady Constable Aqsa Rani were already at the murder scene,” he said, adding that Zahir Jaffer was arrested by the police at the spot.
“I recorded the statement of Zahir at the time of the arrest,” he said, adding that the fingerprints of the suspects were also taken. He said ASI Zubair recorded the statement of the complainant and sent it to the prosecution department.
The IO said the police also confiscated a laptop from the room and put it in an evidence parcel. IO Sattar added that Computer Operator Constable Muddasir arrived at the murder site and played the CCTV tape through the DVR system.
“The CCTV footage had an advance time of about 35 minutes,” the witness said, adding that as per the footage Noor entered the residence on July 18.
During the previous hearing, Noor’s father had recorded his statement and urged the court to sentence prime accused Zahir Jaffer to death for allegedly killing his daughter Noor Mukadam in July last year.
