— Parents, Therapy Works staff, who were accused of abetting the murder, acquitted
ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in Islamabad sentenced to death prime suspect Zahir Jaffer over his involvement in the high-profile murder of Noor Mukadam, a capital-based young woman, but acquitted his parents, citing lack of evidence.
Mukadam, 27, was found beheaded at the residence of Jaffer, 30, in Sector F-7/4 of Islamabad in July. Police charged Jaffer, a dual Pakistan-US national and scion of a wealthy industrialist family, with murder after arresting him at the scene of the attack.
Investigators concluded Jaffer raped Mukadam, daughter of a former ambassador to South Korea, before brutally murdering her, police said in reports submitted to the court during the trial. Mukadam had gone to his house to say goodbye as she was planning to travel abroad.
A first information report registered on the complaint of Shaukat Ali Mukadam, the victim’s father, had nominated Jaffer under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Jaffer has also been ordered to pay Rs0.5 million to Mukadam’s heirs. In case of non-payment, the amount would be realised as arrears of land revenue and in case of non-realisation, he would have to undergo six months of imprisonment.
Two domestic staff — gardener Jan Muhammad and watchman Iftikhar — were also sentenced to 10 years in prison each.
Jaffer’s parents — Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee — a third staff member and six employees of Therapy Works — an Islamabad-based organisation providing mental health services that employed him and Adamjee — who were accused of abetting the murder, were, however, acquitted.
The sentences, however, will be subject to confirmation by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Atta Rabbani, who presided over the proceedings, also directed to submit reference under Section 374 of the PPC immediately to the IHC for confirmation of the punishment.
Jaffer, his parents, and other nominees in the case were present in the courtroom when the verdict was being announced.
Judge Rabbani had reserved its decision on Tuesday after all the parties concluded their arguments.
The court indicted Jaffer along with 11 other suspects — his parents, the household staff, Therapy Works boss Tahir Zahoor and his staff — in October.
The trial formally commenced on October 20.
Mukadam’s father welcomed the verdict.
“This case is for all the daughters of Pakistan,” he told reporters outside the court. “The society and media came to our side, the entire nation and the world were on our side.”
NATIONAL ATTENTION
Mukadam’s murder received national attention due to a growing, youth-driven women’s rights movement in the country where victims of violence are often discouraged from speaking out and blamed for the abuse.
In the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum (WEF), the country ranks 153 out of 156 countries, and a recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report found that incidents of domestic violence increased by 200 percent in 2020, worsening after coronavirus lockdowns began.
But many cases of sexual harassment and gender-based violence go unreported. In 2018, the #MeToo movement catalysed some change in Pakistan, but defamation lawsuits against victims have stalled its progress.
Mukadam’s case galvanised a similar feminist movement, with a broader call for social justice.
Commenting on the judgement, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said the speedy dispensation of justice in the case was an example of what the nation of Pakistan expected from the institution of the judiciary.
نور مقدم کیس میں پولیس اور پراسیکیوشن نے ذمہ داری پوری کی اور عدالت نے چار ماہ میں فیصلہ ۔۔۔۔ یہ ہے وہ انصاف جس کی توقع پاکستانی عوام کرتے ہیں امید ہے انصاف سے جڑے ادارے عوام کی توقعات پر پورا اتریں گے اور رول آف لاء نافذ ہو گا
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 24, 2022
Police and prosecution fulfilled their responsibility and the court handed down the verdict in four months, he tweeted, expressing hope that institutions associated with the administration of justice would live up to the expectations of people and ensure rule of law in letter and spirit.
