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Tuesday, April 16, 2024  
08 Shawwal 1445  

Noor Mukadam case: Islamabad police say enough evidence to convict Zahir Jaffer

Punjab forensic agency report shows blood stains on Jaffer's shirt, on murder weapon while accused's DNA found on victim
The two-page document came to surface after a hearing of the case held on Monday. File photo
The two-page document came to surface after a hearing of the case held on Monday. File photo

A detailed report of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency contained comprehensive evidence that was sufficient for the conviction of the accused in Noor Mukadam murder case. This was stated in a document issued by the Islamabad police on its verified Twitter handle on Tuesday.

The Islamabad police shared the two-page document following a hearing of the case held on Monday in an Islamabad District and sessions court in which Investigation Officer Abdul Sattar told the court the murder weapon didn't have Zahir's fingerprints.

The court was also informed that there was no blood on the pants of the prime accused at the time of the arrest, and that he did not get the photo collected from the digital video recorder (DVR) vetted through a photogrammetry test.

Following a review meeting on the progress of the case under the chair of Inspector General Muhammad Ahsan Younas - attended by by DIG Operations, Chief Prosecutor, SSP Investigation, SP Investigation , DSP Legal and IO - the Islamabad police issued the document.

“[The] IG Islamabad took a meeting to review progress of trial of Noor Mukadam case in context of yesterday's proceedings and media reports,” read the document.

During the course of the meeting, the officials explained the proceedings and happenings that took place during the hearing of the case on Jan 24 (Monday).

According to the officials, the IO answered briefly during the cross-examination by Zahir Jaffer’s lawyer Sikandar Zulqarnain as the police officer had to answer with either “yes or no”.

“The answers must corroborate with the facts of the case file. However, the whole proceeding got misinterpreted in some media reports,” read the document.

The document then listed questions and answers as well as their explanation put before the IO during Monday’s hearing of the case.

As per the document, the IO was asked: “Was the pant of the accused stained with blood?” To which he responded no. “The pant was not stained with blood but the shirt of the accused was stained with blood of the victim Noor Mukadam, as per PFSA,” read the explanation.

“Were there any fingerprints found on the knife, the weapon of offence?” the IO was asked during the cross-examination, as per the document. He responded no. “The knife recovered from the crime scene was taken into custody, sealed by NFSA and sent to PFSA for fingerprints which could not be developed by the latter.

“But the report confirmed blood of Noor Mukadam on the knife,” read the explanation of the question.

In another question posed before the IO as per the document, he was asked: “Was photogrammetry test conducted for the identification of the victim Noor Mukadam?”

The IO replied in the negative. According to the explanation, photogrammetry test is conducted for the identification of the accused so that he could not negate his presence at the crime scene.

The document further mentioned that a detailed report of PFSA containing comprehensive forensic evidence which are sufficient for the conviction of the accused is yet to be read on the next hearing of the case which was scheduled to be held on January 26 (tomorrow).

It further said senior most officers visited the crime scene at the time when the incident happened on July 20, 2021 and the National Forensic Science Agency preserved the crime scene completely to avoid any contamination.

The document went on to mention the facts extracted from the PFSA report. “Rape was committed with Noor before being [sic] killed, DNA confirmed,” it said.

“Noor made every possible attempt to save her life before being killed. Zahir’s DNA, i.e. skin, has been recovered under the nails of Noor Mukadam,” read the document. It added: “The shirt worn by and recovered from Zahir was stained with Noor Mukadam’s blood [as her] DNA … found on Zahir’s shirt.”

It further read: “Noor Mukadam was killed with the swiss knife recovered from the crime scene. DNA, i.e. blood, of Noor Mukadam was found on the blade and handle of the swiss knife.”

The document went on: “Noor Mukadam was also attacked with the knuckle punch recovered from the crime scene. DNA, i.e. blood of Noor Mukadam was found on the knuckle punch.”

According to the document, the forensic evidences stated in the report were collected from the crime scene in a professional manner and then sent to PFSA. “These are very strong pieces of forensic evidence and the investigation team is committed to seek justice for Noor Mukadam,” read the document.

The Islamabad IG directed the officers to follow the case “in the best possible manner” and brief him regularly in this regard.

Noor Mukadam, the 27-year-old victim, was brutally murdered in Jaffer's home in Islamabad on July 20, 2021. Zahir, his parents, their household staff and six members of Therapy Works, a counselling and psychotherapy centre, have been indicted in the case on October 14.

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Islamabad

Murder

Zahir Jaffer

Noor Mukadam

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