ISLAMABAD: The parents of Zahir Zakir Jaffer, the prime suspect in the gruesome July murder of Noor Mukadam, have approached the Supreme Court (SC) for bail nearly a week after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected their bail plea.

Citing concerns of obstruction of justice, the Islamabad High court last month dismissed a bail plea filed by Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, and ordered that the trial against them be completed within eight weeks.

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.

In their plea to the Supreme Court Zahir Zakir Jaffer’s parents have requested the apex court to allow them “to be released on post-arrest bail pending trial.”

They also said they were ready and willing to furnish bail bonds to the satisfaction of the court and pledged “to appear before the learned Trial Court on each and every date of hearing to be fixed in the case.”