High court denies bail to parents of prime suspect in Noor Mukadam murder

ISLAMABAD: Citing concerns of possible obstruction of justice, the Islamabad High Court on Wednesday dismissed a bail plea by the parents of Zahir Zakir Jaffer, the prime suspect in July’s gruesome murder of Noor Mukadam.
Mukadam, 27, was found beheaded at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale F-7/4 neighborhood on July 20 in a case that has sparked public outrage and grabbed media attention unlike any other recent crime against women. Police arrested Jaffer from the crime scene on the day of the murder. Jaffer’s parents and a cook, gardener and a security guard at the Jaffer home are also under arrest and being investigated on various charges, including abetment and concealment of evidence.
The parents, Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, had made a bail appeal with the IHC after it was rejected by a district court last month.
“The case is almost ripe for trial, hence there is every likelihood that if they are enlarged on bail they might obstruct the course of justice, tamper with the prosecution evidence and/or try to influence the trial,” Judge Aamer Farooq said in the IHC’s decision.
A local court in Islamabad said last week that it will frame by October 6 charges against all suspects, including the prime suspect’s parents, their household staff and six employees of Therapy Works, an Islamabad-based counselling facility, who reached the crime scene on the request of Jaffer’s father to “conceal the crime and destroy the evidence,” according to a detailed charge sheet filed by police investigators and seen by Arab News.
The IHC has directed the court to conclude the trial within two months.
“Since the trial is about to commence as it is expected that on 06.10.2021 the charge shall be framed,” the court order said. “The learned Trial Court is directed to conclude the trial expeditiously preferably within eight weeks from the framing of charge.”