Zubair Qureshi
A team of the US embassy met Zahir Jaffer late Monday night and inquired about his well being.
According to the police, the embassy had requested for a meeting with the suspect who happens to be a dual nationality holder— of Pakistan and the US.
Though the embassy’s spokesperson refused to divulge any information when asked if the embassy was following the case or was in contact with any authority, yet on Tuesday, the embassy, without naming Jaffer, tweeted from its official account that “In a foreign country, US citizens are subject to that country’s laws.
“When Americans are arrested abroad, the Embassy can check on their well-being and provide a list of law yers, but cannot provide legal advice, participate in court proceedings or effect their release.”
The parents of Zahir Zakir Jaffer — key suspect in Noor Mukadam’s murder — on Tuesday moved a bail petition in a district and sessions court in Islamabad against their detention.
Admitting the petition, the court issued a notice to the police and fixed July 30 as the date for hearing.
The brutal murder of Noor, 27, daughter of former Pakistani diplomat Shaukat Mukadam, came to light on July 20 when she was found dead at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale Sector F-7/4.
Day earlier, the district and sessions court had extended Zahir Jaffer’s physical remand for two more days i.e. until Wednesday (today) and directed the court to produce him on the next date of hearing.
Earlier in the hearing, the suspect complained of being unable to hear the courtroom proceedings due to his distance from the judge.
He was present at the far end of the courtroom at the time. Subsequently, the judge took notice and called him near the rostrum.
On July 24, the prosecutor had told the court that the murder weapon — a knife — along with a pistol and a knuckleduster were recovered from the accused.
Noor, 27, daughter of former Pakistani diplomat Shaukat Mukadam, was found murdered at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale Sector F-7/4 on July 20.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered later the same day against Jaffer, who was arrested from the site of the murder, under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the victim’s father.
Police on Monday told the court that a number of sections had been added in the FIR against the suspect.
