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
In southeast Pakistan, Ramadan brings Hindus and Muslims closer
- In southeastern Mithi city, Hindus arrange iftar for Muslims every year to promote interfaith harmony
- Locals say Mithi’s peaceful religious coexistence can be traced to its remote location in Pakistan’s Sindh province
MITHI, Pakistan: Partab Shivani, a Hindu in Muslim-majority Pakistan, has fasted on and off during Ramadan for years, but this time is different as he practices abstinence for the entire holy month.
Every year, he and his friends in the southeastern city of Mithi arrange iftar, when Muslims break their daily fast, to foster peace and solidarity between the two religions.
“I believe we need to promote interfaith harmony. First, we are humans — religions came later,” Shivani, a 48-year-old social activist, told AFP, adding that he also reads the teachings of the Buddha.
“His message is about peace and ending war. Peace can spread through solidarity and by standing with one another. Distance only widens the gap between people,” he added.
Ninety-six percent of Pakistan’s 240 million people are Muslim. Just two percent are Hindu, most of them living in rural areas of Sindh province where Mithi is located.
In Mithi itself, most of the 60,000 inhabitants are Hindu.
Many of the city’s Hindus also observe Ramadan and iftar has become a social gathering where people from both faiths happily participate.
“This has been a wonderful tradition of ours for a very long time,” said Mir Muhammad Buledi, a 51-year-old Muslim friend who attended Shivani’s iftar gathering.
“It is a beautiful example of harmony between the two communities.”
‘LIKE BROTHERS’
Discrimination against minorities runs deep in Pakistan.
Following the end of British rule in South Asia in 1947, the subcontinent was partitioned into mainly Hindu India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
That triggered widespread religious bloodshed in which hundreds of thousands were killed and millions displaced.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, freedom of religion or belief is under constant threat, with religiously motivated violence and discrimination increasing yearly.
State authorities, often using religious unrest for political gain, have failed to address the crisis, the independent non-profit says.
But such tensions are absent in Mithi.
“I am a Hindu but I keep all the fasts during this month,” said Sushil Malani, a local politician. “I feel happy standing with my Muslim brothers.
“We celebrate Eid together as well. This tradition in the region is very old.”
Restaurants and tea stalls are closed across Pakistan during Ramadan.
Ramesh Kumar, a 52-year-old Hindu man who sells sweets and savory items outside a Muslim shrine, keeps his push cart covered and closed until iftar.
“There is no discrimination among us if someone is Muslim or Hindu. I have been seeing this since my childhood that we all live together like brothers,” he said.
MUSLIM SHRINE, HINDU CARETAKER
Locals say Mithi’s peaceful religious coexistence can be traced to its remote location, emerging from the sand dunes of the Tharparkar desert, which borders the modern Indian state of Rajasthan.
Cows — considered sacred in Hinduism — roam freely in Mithi city, as they do in neighboring India.
At two Sufi Muslim shrines in the middle of the city, Hindu families arrange meals, bringing fruit, meals and juices for their Muslim neighbors to break their fasts.
“We respect Muslims,” said Mohan Lal Malhi, a Hindu caretaker of one of the shrines.
Mohan said his parents and elders taught him to respect people regardless of religion or color, and the traditions pass from one generation to the next.
Local residents said both communities consider their social relationships more important than their religious identity.
“You will see a (Sikh) gurdwara, a mosque, and a shrine standing side by side here,” Mohan said. “The atmosphere of this area teaches humanity.”
