ISLAMABAD – The counsel for Zahir Zakir Jaffer, the main suspect in the Noor Mukadam murder case, on Wednesday filed a petition with a court in federal capital seeking formation of a medical board to examine his mental condition.
Advocate Sikandar Zulqarnain Saleem submitted the application in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani, arguing that his client was suffering from mental ailment and a medical board should be constituted to determine his health.
The lawyer contended that his client did not respond to the allegation on the day of indictment, adding that it clearly showed that Zahir Jaffer was not in normal mental condition to understand the court proceedings.
He recalled that the court had also ousted Zahir from court in hearings on Nov 3 and 10 over his misbehaviour. Saleem added that the whole episode was also broadcast by national TV channels.
It is pertinent to mention here that a team of psychiatrists on August 18 had declared that Zahir Zakir Jaffer is mentally fit to face legal proceedings.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/zahir-jaffer-declared-mentally-fit-for-trial-in-noor-mukadam-murder-case/
The test to examine the mental condition of the 28-year-old suspect was conducted as his parents had allegedly attempted to get him declared mentally unfit with the help of Therapy Works in order to save him from jail.
The murder case came into light when Zahir was arrested from his house in F-7/4 on July 20, 2021 where he beheaded Noor Mukadam, daughter of former Pakistani diplomat Shaukat Ali Mukadam, after he held her hostage over the breakup.
On July 24, Police arrested Zahir’s parents and their servants over allegations of hiding evidence and being complicit in the crime.
In October, Additional Sessions Judge Ata Rabbani indicted twelve suspects, including Zahir Jaffere.
The other suspects indicted the case include Zahir Zakir Jaffer’s parents Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, three domestic help Iftikhar, Jan Muhammad and Jameel and six Therapy Works employees including Tahir Zahoor, Amjad, Dilip Kumar, Abdul Haq, Wamiq and Samar Abbas.