Zahir’s judicial remand extended until Sept 6

Accused presented before court following expiration of previous 14-day remand

Our Correspondent August 31, 2021

Zahir Jaffer being taken into police custody. PHOTO: Screengrab

ISLAMABAD:

A district and sessions court of Islamabad on Monday extended the judicial remand of Zahir Jaffer, the main suspect behind the brutal murder of 27-year-old Noor Mukadam, till September 6. He was produced in the Islamabad katcheri before judicial magistrate Muhammad Imran.

The police, following the proceeding, took the main suspect in the murder case back to the Adiala Jail. Zahir was produced before the court following the completion of his 14-day remand in the case.

On August 16, a local court extended Zahir's and his staff's judicial remand till August 30. The court also approved the police’s application for DNA tests of the co-accused, Iftikhar and Jamil.

Deputy Judicial Magistrate Saqib Jawad conducted three separate hearings of the Noor Mukadam murder case.

During the first hearing, the prime suspect was brought to the court from Adiala Jail on completion of his judicial remand where his attendance was marked from a 'Bakshi Khana'.

Read Court extends Zahir Jaffer’s judicial remand till Aug 30

The suspect was not presented in court and was taken back to jail.

In the second hearing, the court heard the police’s application for allowing DNA tests of co-suspects Iftikhar and Jamil. They were also brought from Adiala Jail and not presented before the court.

The court carried out the hearing on the application and allowed the police to conduct DNA tests of both suspects.

Moreover, the six staffers of Therapy Works were produced in the court after the completion of their one-day physical remand. The suspects, including owner Dr Tahir Zahoor Ahmed, were granted one-day physical remand.

The police said that the staffers hid the evidence in collusion with the prime suspect’s father. However, they were later granted bail.

The murder and beheading of Noor Mukadam sparked nationwide outrage with thousands of people calling on the authorities to take the case to its logical end.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2021.