ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Asmat Adamjee, the mother of Zahir Jaffer, the key accused in July’s gruesome murder and beheading of Noor Mukadam, local media reported.
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.
Last week, a district and sessions court in Islamabad indicted 12 people, including the main accused Jaffer, for their alleged involvement in the murder of Mukadam, the daughter of a former Pakitani diplomat.
Others against whom charges were framed include Jaffer’s parents, Zakir Jaffer andAdamjee, their three household staff, Iftikhar, Jan Muhammad and Jameel, and six workers from Therapy Works, a counselling center from where Jaffer had received certification to become a therapist and where he had been receiving treatment in the weeks leading up to the murder.
“Apparently, there’s no evidence of Asmat Adamjee’s involvement in the case,” Justice Umar Atta Bandial was reported by Pakistani media as saying in court.
A Twitter account run by the Mukadam family said: “Supreme Court has granted bail to Asmat Adamjee, mother of Zahir Jaffer in Noor Mukadam murder case.”
Bail was granted against a surety bond of one million rupees.
Zahir’s parents were taken into custody on July 25 for alleged abetment and concealment of evidence, among other charges filed against them. They have since been in custody.
At last week’s indictment hearing, Jaffer said he had committed the “crime” but appealed to the judge to release him from jail and put him under house arrest.
The court has now summoned witnesses on October 20 to record their statements and plans to complete the trial of all twelve suspects within eight weeks as ordered by the Islamabad High Court.
