ISLAMABAD: Noor Mukadam lost six life-saving opportunities due to the active connivance of the accomplices of the principal accused, Zahir Jaffer, in her murder, according to the investigation report of Islamabad police submitted to the trial court.

“Her life could have been saved had the accomplices acted otherwise,” claimed the report commonly known as challan under section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The challan submitted to Additional District and Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani stated that Noor tried to escape twice from the illegal detention of Jaffer. However, due to collusion of the security guard and a gardener, she could not manage to get herself free.

Moreover, on the day of the incident, July 20, Jaffer had contacted his father, who was in Karachi, on phone four times and the latter knew about the illegal detention and the situation at their home. But his parents never informed the police, and even after their son beheaded the girl his father Zakir Jaffer tried to relax the murderer and told him: “You need not worry, I can handle this, I am sending people to rescue you and to dispose of the dead body,” said the challan.

As per the challan, Jaffer was scheduled to fly to the US on July 19 at 3:50pm via Qatar Airlines but he did not go.

Report says accomplices, including parents, of alleged murderer knew about incident but did not report it

The police also submitted a list of 18 witnesses, including Shaukat Ali Mukadam, father of the deceased, doctors who conducted an autopsy on the body and officials of the police.

Confession of the accused

The challan stated that on July 18, Noor came to Jaffer’s house in F-7/4 and the security guard let her in. A pet dog also expressed familiarity with her. On July 20, both entered into a brawl after Noor refused to marry him and then the alleged killer illegally detained her in a room, the challan referred to the statement of Jaffer in which he confessed to killing Noor.

The accused stated that Noor had rejected his marriage proposal and he detained her inside a room. She got furious over her forced detention and warned Jaffer of consequences. She threatened to file a complaint against him with the police. As per the statement, Jaffer informed his parents about the incident and ordered the domestic staff not to allow anyone to come in or let her go from the house.

The challan said Noor managed to come out of the room and ran away towards the main gate but the security guard Iftikhar did not let her go. This was an opportunity where she could have saved her life, it said.

Jaffer then detained her in the room again, the report said, adding that Noor again made a desperate effort and jumped out from the washroom’s window and ran towards the main gate. However, the security guard instead of helping her went to the basement.

It said gardener, Mohammad Jan, also did not allow her to open the main gate. Jaffer then dragged Noor to the room where he beheaded her.

Referring to the Call Detail Record (CDR), the challan stated that before killing and beheading Noor, Jaffer had made calls to his parents at 2:21pm, 3pm, 6:35pm and 7:29pm.

Role of Therapyworks’ employees

The report said in order to conceal the evidence and the body of the deceased, Jaffer called five Therapyworks employees to his F-7/4 residence - the crime scene.

When the workers tried to enter the room, Jaffer got confused and attacked them. One worker, Amjad Mehmood, was injured and shifted to hospital. The injured lied to the hospital administration and did not register the incident in the medical slip. He mentioned the reason for his injury to be a road accident.

According to the challan, the parents and the therapy workers tried to conceal the crime and attempted to destroy the evidence.

Lodging of complaint

The challan said on July 19 Shaukat Mukadam, the victim’s father, went to a cattle market to buy a sacrificial goat and upon return found Noor not present at home.

Her wife tried to call Noor but her phone was found switched off. Noor made a call later and told her parents that she was going to Lahore with friends for a couple of days.

“Jaffer also called and in response to my query he said Noor was not with him,” Mr Mukadam said.

However, at about 10pm on July 20, he received a call from the Kohsar police station and was informed that his daughter had been killed.

“I went to the house and found Noor’s beheaded dead body,” Mr Mukadam said, and he then lodged a complaint with the police.

The evidence

The police have recovered a knife, 9mm pistol along with the magazine, knuckleduster, cigarette butts, a laptop, Jaffer’s bloodstained shirt, fingerprints, CCTV footage, medical reports, cell phones and forensic reports along with the challan.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021