Verdict in Noor case tomorrow
Activists hold placards and candles during a protest rally against the brutal killing of Noor Mukadam, the daughter of a former Pakistani diplomat, who was found murdered at a house in Islamabad in July. Photo: AFP
The trial court in Islamabad on Tuesday reserved verdict in the Noor Muqqadam murder case after both sides completed their final arguments.
The verdict in the much-hyped and high-profile murder case will be announced on Thursday (tomorrow).
Following the completion of the four-month trial involving witnesses, cross-examination and arguments of the lawyers, Additional Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani reserved judgment in the case.
In his final arguments, counsel for the plaintiff Shah Khawar said "There is solid evidence present on the digital video recorder (DVR), the call data record (CDR), forensic and DNA reports about the murder case. All evidence has been scientifically collected in the murder case. The prosecution has proved the case against the accused, therefore, the court should deliver a strict punishment to the accused.
Nisar Asghar, the counsel for the plaintiff Shaukat Muqqadam, in his arguments said that “the plaintiff was not responsible for what happened before he received the call on July 20. He said that Therapy Works employees said that they arrested the accused and handed it over to the police. He asked if it was that simple, why they kept a mum for 10 days.
The counsel argued that Therapy Works employee Amjad was first taken to a private hospital and then taken to the PIMS after he sustained injuries. He said that Amjad hushed up the actual accident from (authorities) and showed it as a road accident and if he had mentioned the accident, he would have to give the complete address of Zahir Jaffer’s house.
Regarding some discrepancies in the investigation, he said they could be chalked up to incompetence but not ill-intent on part of the investigation officer (IO).
The plaintiff's lawyer presented details of the call data of all accused before the court.
In the final arguments, Prosecutor Rana Hassan Abbas said, "The accused was arrested from the crime scene with the murder weapon while blood was found on his clothes and there is no doubt after that."
He said that the case was being watched by all and sundry as to how the country's justice system is working. The court should make this case an example of justice.
Asad Jamal, the counsel for the mother of the main accused and co-accused Ismat Adam G, said in his counter-arguments that “there was nothing against his client except for the CDR, while the Supreme Court had ruled on it.
He argued that “the prosecution could not prove that the accused's parents knew about the murder. Jamal said the CDR was generated through a third party and should have instead been obtained through a proper channel. “The IO retrieved the CDR from the SP office while it should have been retrieved from the cellular company which was not done,” he said and prayed to the court that the benefit of the doubt should be given to his client.
The co-accused Zakir Jaffer's lawyer Basharatullah in his counter-arguments said that the prosecution said that this is a high-profile case. “Let me tell you that all cases are important before the court,” he said. Raising questions about the investigation, he said, "Wherever we go and complain about the investigation, we found the whole state was behind the case,” he said.
He further argued that Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid in a press conference said that “I did what I could, I can't shoot Zahir Jaffer in police custody”.
The prosecution said that the prosecution failed to produce a single witness who could say that he saw the murder taking place.
Lawyer Basharatullah said that there was no eyewitness in the case and my client should be acquitted.
Shahriar Nawaz, the counsel for the main accused, said in his counter-arguments said that “the prosecution claimed that there were fingerprints of Zahir Jafar on everything. However, he argued, the prosecution has not yet been able to answer why the fingerprints of Zahir Jafar were not on the murder device.
The lawyer for the domestic workers (co-accused) told the court that “the employees fulfilled their responsibility by informing the parents of Zahir Jaffer. He said that Noor would frequently visit the house, they did not know that Zahir Jafar would kill her.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2022.