ISLAMABAD: An additional district and sessions judge has turned down an application, filed by the main accused in the Noor Mukadam murder case, seeking the constitution of a medical board to ascertain the mental health of the alleged murderer, Zahir Jaffer.

The application was filed on Wednesday by Zahir’s counsel, Advocate Sikandar Zulqarnain Saleem.

He contended before the court that the accused suffered from a schizoaffective disorder, brought on by drug-induced psychosis, and that this was his state at the time of his arrest on July 20, 2021, the ill-fated day when he murdered Ms Mukadam.

The counsel requested the court to authorise the constitution of a medical board to determine the mental state of the accused, in the interests of justice.

Public prosecutor argues main accused held management position at father’s company at time of Noor Mukadam’s murder

The application stated that the judge himself had observed the demeanour, conduct and state of mind of the accused during his appearances before the court.

During previous court appearances, Zahir Jaffer’s behaviour had become disruptive and, during one hearing in November, he was forcibly removed by police personnel after he hurled obscenities at the judge.

Following the outburst, the judge had directed police officials to take him away, terming it a “drama”.

However, Advocate Shah Khawar, representing the victim’s father Shaukat Mukadam, argued that the main accused did not adopt this stance upon arrest and subsequent appearances before judicial magistrates.

He pointed out that the application to ascertain his mental health was filed at a time when the court was about to conclude his trial and asked that the application be dismissed.

Public prosecutor Hassan Abbas also argued that the application was not maintainable. He pointed out that before his arrest, in addition to counseling students at a private school, Zahir had been working on a senior management position at his father’s company.

Additional district and sessions judge Atta Rabbani initially reserved judgement on the application and later rejected it.

During Wednesday’s hearing, the court recorded the statement of a witness and adjourned further proceedings until Jan 15.

Noor Mukadam, 27, the daughter of former diplomat Shaukat Mukadam, was found murdered and beheaded at Zahir Jaffer’s residence in Islamabad’s upscale F-7/4 neighborhood on July 20.

He was arrested from the scene of the crime and has been in custody since.

At his indictment hearing in October, Zahir admitted he had committed the “crime” but appealed to the judge to release him from jail and put him under house arrest.

The transcript of the CCTV footage showing events that preceded Mukadam’s murder was submitted by the prosecution last month. It said the victim had jumped from the first floor of the main accused’s house but was prevented by staff from leaving the premises.

Others charged in the case include Jaffer’s parents, Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee; three of their household staff, Iftikhar, Jan Mohammad and Jameel; and six Therapyworks employees – the counselling centre where Zahir Jaffer had received certification as a therapist and where he had been receiving treatment in the weeks leading up to the murder.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2022