SC hears convict's appeal against death penalty in Noor Mukadam case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday adjourned hearing of the appeal against Zahir Jaffer’s death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case till May 19, ARY News reported.

Noor, 27, was found murdered at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale Sector F-7/4 on July 20, 2021. A first information report (FIR) was registered later the same day against Zahir Jaffer, who was arrested from the site of the murder.

Convict Zahir Jaffer’s lawyer Salman Safdar pleaded to the court case adjournment for submitting more documents in the court.

“Why an adjournment being allowed, when you are in the court,” Justice Hashim Kakar asked. “Zahir Jaffer has been a mental patient, courts ignored the fact, I want to submit documents that will drastically change the case,” lawyer said.

“You can raise this point today, what will happen with a separate plea,” Justice Kakar said. “A case in our court only adjourns when a judge or lawyer dies,” the judge remarked.

“What a person who is acquitted after remaining 20 years in a death cell, will think,” Justice Kakar questioned. “The system is not responsible for it, but we are, who allow unnecessary adjournments,” the judge said.

“If you have to give a petition, submit it, we will decide over it,” he added.

Petitioner’s lawyer Shah Khawar said, he will oppose the plea vehemently. “Let the petition come to oppose it,” Justice Baqar Najafi said.

In February 2022, a district and sessions judge convicted Zahir Jaffer of murdering Noor Mukadam, awarding him the death penalty along with 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs200,000. His household staff, Iftikhar and Jameel, co-accused in the case, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, while all other suspects, including Jaffer’s parents and TherapyWorks employees, were acquitted.

Justice Hashim Kakar heads a three-member bench hearing the case, comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi.

Noor’s father, Shaukat Muqaddam’s appeal against the acquittal of Jaffer’s father, Zakir Jaffer, is also set for hearing.