Hearing in Noor murder case tomorrow

Reporters barred from making videos of suspects

ISLAMABAD:

A local magistrat set September 8 for the hearing of Noor Muqqadam murder case after as prosecution has submitted the charge-sheet.

During the court appearnace, Islamabad police stopped reporters from making videos of the suspects in the Noor Muqqadam murder case on Monday. The police also deleted a video from the mobile phone of a journalist after the suspects objected to it.

The prime suspect, Zahir Jaffer, and parents, Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, along with their domestic workers were presented before the court of judicial magistrate.

When a reporter started making videos of the suspects from his mobile phone outside the courtroom, Asmat Adamjee objected to the video. She walked up towards the reporter with a lady police officer and told him to delete the video.

Read IHC seeks comments over bail cancellation in Noor Mukadam case

Asmat then asked the police personnel to get the video deleted from the mobile phone of the reporter and the policemen followed the order. The prime suspect also said that the media should be kept outside the court due to family privacy.

During the hearing of the case, the court marked the attendance of the suspects and fixed the next hearing on September 8 after submission of their challans. The police then took the suspects to the Adiala jail.

Meanwhile, Islamabad Police SSP (Operations) Dr Syed Mustafa Tanwir was asked about the restriction on the media coverage of suspects outside the court. He said that journalists were free to make coverage of the suspects brought to the court under police custody.

Moreover, a district and sessions court adjourned the hearing on bail petitions of Zahir Jaffer’s domestic workers Jan Muhammad and Jamil till September 11. District and Sessions Judge Sheikh Muhammad Sohail conducted the hearing on the post-arrest bail pleas.

The petitioners’ lawyer submitted their power of attorney in court. The court fixed the hearing for final arguments on September 11. Jan Muhammad and Jamil are in Adiala jail on judicial remand.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2021.