It’s been more than two years to the gruesome murder of Noor Mukadam, the daughter of former Pakistan ambassador Saukat Mukadam, and over a year to the killing of Sara Inam, but justice is yet to be prevailed in both cases.
27-year-old Noor was found murdered at the residence of Zahir Jaffer in Sector F-7/4 of Islamabad on July 20, 2021. After six-month long trial proceedings on Feb 24, 2022, Additional Sessions Judge Ata Rabbani sentenced Zahir Jaffer to death for the murder of the ex-diplomat’s daughter. The judge had also found him guilty of rape and awarded him 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs200,000.
Zahir Jaffer challenged his conviction in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and in March 2023 the court upheld the death penalty. He is now planning to move the apex court.
In Sara Inam’s case, the trial court is yet to announce its ruling despite lapse of more than a year to the murder.
The Canadian-Pakistani girl was allegedly killed by Shahnawaz Amir, her husband and son of renowned journalist Ayaz Amir, in Islamabad in September 2022.
In recent proceedings on Oct 25, 2023, the district and sessions court had given one week to the suspect’s counsel to submit his reply in the case.
Last month, the investigation officer (IO) in the case testified before that trial court that Shahnawaz had confessed his killing his wife.
During October 18’s hearing, the suspect had denied killing Sara Inam.
In late September, Shaukat Mukadam and Inam-ur-Rahim, fathers of late Noor Mukadam and Sarah Inam had shared their grief in a press conference in Islamabad.
The family members of the late two women called on the Supreme Court of Pakistan to ensure speedy trial and timely justice.
Shaukat Mukadam, the father of the late Noor Mukadam recalled Sarah’s horrific killing and said he and his wife visited Sarah’s family.
The former ambassador revealed that he is fully aware of what Sarah’s family members went through, but lamented the extended trial. Calling it the open and shut case, the father of a slain woman said that he was promised justice.
The grief-stricken man added that his daughter’s killer got death sentence in February last year, but the case went to the Islamabad High Court and Zahir Jaffer was sentenced to capital punishment.
Despite the court ruling, Zahir Jaffer did not get what he deserved, he said. He stressed the significance and need message for the supremacy of law.
He called on the top court to hear Sarah Inam’s case so that she could get justice the former ambassador. The teary-eyed man said he was not able to control his emotions, expressing his view before the media.
Inam-ur-Rahim, the father of Sarah Inam, recalled that it has been a year since his daughter was murdered, said that he had never thought that such an accident would happen with their family.
He thanked police and other department for their support throughout the case, and mentioned that the opposing counsel tried hard to stretch the high-profile murder case.
Mr Rahim also called on new Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to take notice and issue new directives with our case. He urged state to become party against the murderer.
