ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad district court on Thursday fixed October 14 as the date for indictment in the Noor Mukadam murder case as the prime suspect “apologized” in court as he was denied permission to speak during proceedings.
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.
Key suspect Zahir Jaffer was arrested from the crime scene on the day of the murder. He was initially on police remand but was moved to Adiala Jail in the city of Rawalpindi on judicial remand in early August. His parents and three members of household staff are also under arrest for a range of charges, including abetment and hiding evidence.
During the proceedings on Thursday, Zahir sought the judge’s permission to speak at the rostrum and said “I apologize.”
“You don’t need to speak right now,” the judge responded. “We will listen to you during the trial.”
It was unclear whether the suspect apologized for committing the crime or it was an expression of courtesy for speaking out of turn.
The suspects requested the court to grant them access to digital evidence like close-circuit television (CCTV) footage, a USB flash drive and other forensic evidence.
Mukadam’s lawyer argued that the evidence was sealed and could not be unsealed for the suspects.
The judge also turned down the suspects’ request for a copy of digital evidence in the case.
A day earlier, Zakir’s lawyer had contended that the court had given authorities seven days to indict his client, who was not even aware of the evidence against him. He urged the court to charge the suspects after providing the documents that had been made part of the charge-sheet.
Adamjee’s counsel also contended that the documents collected during the investigation should be provided to the suspects, saying there was precedence for this.
Zahir’s parents were taken into custody on July 25 for allegedly abetment and concealment of evidence, among other charges filed against them. They have since been in custody despite filing bail petitions in the sessions and high courts.
After having their petitions rejected by the sessions and high courts, the Jaffers on Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court, requesting it to approve their bail plea. They moved the apex court to allow them “to be released on post-arrest bail pending trial.”
The Jaffers also pledged “to appear before the learned Trial Court on each and every date of hearing to be fixed in the case.”
A total of 12 people will be indicted in the case, including Zahir Zakir Jaffer, the prime suspect, his parents Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, their three household staffers Iftikhar, Jan Muhammad and Jameel, and six Therapy Works employees including Tahir Zahoor, Amjad, Dilip Kumar, Abdul Haq, Wamiq and Samar Abbas. Therapy Works is a counselling center from where Zahir sought certification to become a therapist.
The court had previously set October 7 as date to indict suspects in the case, but deferred it after the suspects filed fresh petitions, seeking certain documents along with the copy of the challan.
'I apologize,' Noor Mukaddam murder suspect tells Islamabad court as October 14 fixed for indictment
https://arab.news/zkdey
'I apologize,' Noor Mukaddam murder suspect tells Islamabad court as October 14 fixed for indictment
- It was unclear whether the suspect apologized for the murder or he was being courteous
- Court set to indict 12 people, including parents of prime suspect
IMF board to approve Pakistan reviews today ‘if all goes well,’ say officials
- IMF’s executive board is scheduled to meet today to discuss the disbursement of $1.2 billion
- Economists say the money will boost Pakistan’s forex reserves, send positive signals to investors
KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board is scheduled to meet today, Monday, to approve the release of about $1.2 billion for Pakistan under the lender’s two loan facilities, said IMF officials who requested not to be named.
The IMF officials confirmed the executive board was going to decide on the Fund’s second review under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and first review under the $1.4 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), a financing tool that provides long-term, low-cost loans to help countries address climate risks.
“The board meeting will be taking place as planned,” an IMF official told Arab News.
“The board is on today yes as per the calendar,” said another.
A well-placed official at Pakistan’s finance ministry also confirmed the board meeting was scheduled today to discuss the next tranche for Pakistan.
The IMF executive board’s meeting comes nearly two months after a staff-level agreement (SLA) was signed between the two sides in October.
Procedurally, the SLAs are subject to approval by the executive board, though it is largely viewed as a formality.
“If all goes well, the reviews should pass,” said the second IMF official.
On approval, Pakistan will have access to about $1 billion under the EFF and about $200 million under the RSF, the IMF said in a statement in October after the SLA.
The fresh transfer will bring total disbursements under the two arrangements to about $3.3 billion, it added.
Experts see smooth sailing for Pakistan in terms of the passing of the two reviews, saying the IMF disbursements will help the cash-strapped nation to strengthen its balance of payments position.
Samiullah Tariq, group head of research at Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company Limited, said the IMF board’s approval will show that Pakistan’s economy is on the right path.
“It obviously will help strengthen [the country’s] external sector, the balance of payments,” he told Arab News.
Until recently, Pakistan grappled with a macroeconomic crisis that drained its financial resources and triggered a balance of payments crisis.
Pakistan has reported financial gains since 2022, recording current account surpluses and taming inflation that touched unprecedented levels in mid-2023.
Economists also viewed the IMF’s bailout packages as crucial for cash-strapped Pakistan, which has relied heavily on financing from bilateral partners such as Saudi Arabia, China and the United Arab Emirates, as well as multilateral lenders.
Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Fund for Development, last week extended the term of its $3 billion deposit for another year to help Pakistan boost its foreign exchange reserves, which stood at $14.5 billion as of November 28, according to State Bank of Pakistan statements.
“In our view this [IMF tranche] will be approved,” said Shankar Talreja, head of research at Karachi-based brokerage Topline Securities Limited.
“This will help strengthen reserves and will eventually help a rating upgrade going forward,” he said.
The IMF board’s nod, Talreja said, would also send a signal to the international and local investors regarding the continuation of the reform agenda by Pakistan’s government.
