Islamabad: Islamabad High Court (IHC) upheld death sentence awarded to Zahir Jaffer in Noor Mukadam murder case by trial court and turned his life imprisonment into capital punishment.

Two-member bench of divisional bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan issued verdict which was reserved December 21 on appeals filed against punishment awarded to convicts and acquittal of co-accused for brutal murder of 27-year-old woman.

Court’s decision for double death sentence came following Jaffer’s crime for Noor’s rape and murder. He earlier received 25-year imprisonment sentence with hard labour and fine of Rs 0.2 million after rape was proven.

IHC reserved verdict on December 21 last year in high-profile murder case in which prime accused Jaffer was sentenced to death after long-drawn-out trial of over four months.

Trial court awarded death sentence to Jaffer last February, while two suspects Jan Muhammad and Muhammad Iftikhar gardener and security guard at Jaffer’s house were awarded 10 years of imprisonment each.

Other suspects in case including Jaffer’s parents, Zakir Jaffer and Ismat Adamjee along with all employees of Therapy Works were acquitted by court.

Before reserving its judgement in case, court remarked lawyers of parties were allowed to submit their additional arguments on pleas within seven days.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 14 2023

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