Appeals seeking increase in sentence of Zahir Jaffer, domestic staff filed in IHC

Appeal claims trial court gave reduced sentence to Zahir's gardener, watchmen

ISLAMABAD:

Appeals were filed in the Islamabad High Court on Friday praying upon the court to increase the sentence of Zahir Jaffer – convicted of Noor Mukadam's murder and sentenced to death – and two other accused in the case.

The appeals were filed on behalf of Noor's father, Shaukat Muqadam, by counsel Shah Khawar.One is against Zahir, and the other two are against convicts Jan Mohammad and Iftikhar who were Zahir’s domestic staff.

According to the appeal, there was digital evidence against the two and the trial court had given a reduced sentence.

It further maintained that the criminals should be given sentences according to the law and that Zahir was sentenced to death and 25 years of hard labour, while Jan Mohammad and Iftikhar were only sentenced to ten years in prison.

Read Justice for Noor: triumph and apprehensions

After four months of trials, a sessions court in Islamabad handed down the death penalty to Zahir Jaffer for the murder of Noor Mukadam while his employees, watchman Muhammad Iftikhar and gardener Mohammad Jan, were sentenced to 10 years in prison for abetting in the act.

However, Additional Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani acquitted his parents, Zakir Jaffer and Ismat Adamjee, as well as other suspects in the case including Therapy Works employees, from the charge of abetment.