Judge orders footage be handed over to suspects in Noor case

Zahir Jaffer again attempts to interrupt court proceedings

ISLAMABAD:

Additional and Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani has ordered to hand over the CCTV footage in the Noor Muqqadam murder case to the lawyers of the suspects.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the judge said that a copy of the CCTV footage must be provided to the lawyers of the suspects in light of the order of the Islamabad High Court.

The court instructed Public Prosecutor Hasan Abbas to direct Investigation Officer (IO) Abdul Sattar Khan to make five separate copies of the CCTV footage and hand them over to the lawyers of the suspects at the next hearing on November 12.

The plaintiff’s lawyer said that they trust the defendants’ lawyers that they would not share the sensitive video with anyone.

Basharatullah, the lawyer of Zakir Jaffer, the main suspect in the Noor Muqqadam murder case, said they were not being provided with the CCTV footage but it was available on the internet. At this, the public prosecutor said that it was not the video but rather it was the transcript that was earlier provided to lawyers of the suspects.

Read Zahir Jaffer ‘confesses’ to killing Noor Muqaddam

During the hearing, the prime suspect, Zahir Jaffer attempted to interrupt the court proceedings and asked the judge “if I can come closer to you as I am not able to hear anything?”. After a brief silence, he again told the judge to issue orders for a settlement.

When the judge did not respond, Zahir Jaffer again interrupted, “Sir Atta Rabbani can you hear me?” I want to come close to you as everything of mine is at stake”.

At this, the judge asked the suspects’ lawyer if Zahir’s presence in the courtroom was necessary. The judge instructed the police to take him away after attendance.

Following the judge’s order, the police shifted the suspect to the Bakshi Khana.

During the proceeding, the lawyer of Therapy Works, Akram Qureshi, said the statement of the witness Sikandar Hayat was given to them after making changes in it. He said the IO has committed fraud by altering the testimony.

The court recorded the statements of forensic officer Imran and Sikandar Hayat while the suspects’ lawyers cross-examined them.

The court summoned four more witnesses in the case at the next hearing on November 19.

So far, some nine witnesses have recorded their statements and their cross-examination has also been completed.

Sara Muqqadam, the sister of victim Noor Muqqadam, was present in the courtroom during the proceeding for the first time.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2021.