Witnesses to testify in Noor case today

Trial court will also take up plaintiff’s plea seeking to probe circulation of murder video on social media

ISLAMABAD:

Three prosecution witnesses will testify in the Noor Muqqadam murder case in the trial court on Wednesday (today).

The witnesses include Zubair Mazhar, who booked prime suspect Zahir Jaffer, Muddasir, a computer operator and Jabir, the CDR print provider.

Additional Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani has summoned the witnesses to testify in the murder case. The court will also take up the prosecution application against the circulation of the CCTV footage of the murder on the internet along with the petition of suspect Asmat Adamjee for the provision of complete CCTV footage.

At the last hearing, the statements of Dr Shazia and Dost Muhammad were recorded and the cross-examination was also complete. Collectively, testimonies of 11 witnesses have been completed in the murder case.

The prime suspect Zahir Jaffer and accomplices including watchman Iftikhar, gardener Jan Muhammad, and Zakir Jaffer will be produced before the court from Adiala Jail while those on bail will appear on notices.

At the last hearing, Zahir Jaffer had refused to sign the power of attorney to be eligible to have legal representation and had insisted that he would have a lawyer of his own choice.

When advocate Malik Amjad Ali appeared before the court and claimed to be the lawyer of the prime suspect Zahir Jaffer, Judge Atta Rabbani directed him to submit the power of attorney. The prime suspect was brought in the courtroom to sign the power of attorney, however, he refused to sign it saying that he would hire a lawyer of his own choice only after seeing his capabilities.

He had denied that Malik Amjad was his lawyer and said his lawyer was a barrister with whom he would consult. The prime suspect had said that he did not need his advice, and he did not think he was being guided rightly in the case.

At the last hearing, Shaukat Muqqadam, the plaintiff in the Noor Muqqadam murder case, had demanded to probe the circulation of CCTV footage of the incident on the internet and sought action against those involved in leaking it.

During the hearing, the suspects’ lawyers had denied any involvement in making the video viral or handing it to anybody and supported investigating the matter.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2021.