'I apologize,' Noor Mukaddam murder suspect tells Islamabad court as October 14 fixed for indictment

Zahir Zakir Jaffer (second right), main suspect in the murder of Noor Mukadam, is led by Islamabad police officers to the court in Islamabad, Pakistan, on August 2, 2021. (Photo courtesy: Social Media)

• ​​​​​​​It was unclear whether the suspect apologized for the murder or he was being courteous 
• ​​​​​​​Court set to indict 12 people, including parents of prime suspect 

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad district court on Thursday fixed October 14 as the date for indictment in the Noor Mukadam murder case as the prime suspect “apologized” in court as he was denied permission to speak during proceedings.
Mukadam, 27, was found beheaded at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale F-7/4 neighborhood on July 20 in a case that has sparked public outrage and grabbed media attention unlike any other recent crime against women.
Key suspect Zahir Jaffer was arrested from the crime scene on the day of the murder. He was initially on police remand but was moved to Adiala Jail in the city of Rawalpindi on judicial remand in early August. His parents and three members of household staff are also under arrest for a range of charges, including abetment and hiding evidence.
During the proceedings on Thursday, Zahir sought the judge’s permission to speak at the rostrum and said “I apologize.”
“You don’t need to speak right now,” the judge responded. “We will listen to you during the trial.”
It was unclear whether the suspect apologized for committing the crime or it was an expression of courtesy for speaking out of turn.
The suspects requested the court to grant them access to digital evidence like close-circuit television (CCTV) footage, a USB flash drive and other forensic evidence.
Mukadam’s lawyer argued that the evidence was sealed and could not be unsealed for the suspects.
The judge also turned down the suspects’ request for a copy of digital evidence in the case.
A day earlier, Zakir’s lawyer had contended that the court had given authorities seven days to indict his client, who was not even aware of the evidence against him. He urged the court to charge the suspects after providing the documents that had been made part of the charge-sheet.
Adamjee’s counsel also contended that the documents collected during the investigation should be provided to the suspects, saying there was precedence for this.
Zahir’s parents were taken into custody on July 25 for allegedly abetment and concealment of evidence, among other charges filed against them. They have since been in custody despite filing bail petitions in the sessions and high courts.
After having their petitions rejected by the sessions and high courts, the Jaffers on Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court, requesting it to approve their bail plea. They moved the apex court to allow them “to be released on post-arrest bail pending trial.”
The Jaffers also pledged “to appear before the learned Trial Court on each and every date of hearing to be fixed in the case.”
A total of 12 people will be indicted in the case, including Zahir Zakir Jaffer, the prime suspect, his parents Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, their three household staffers Iftikhar, Jan Muhammad and Jameel, and six Therapy Works employees including Tahir Zahoor, Amjad, Dilip Kumar, Abdul Haq, Wamiq and Samar Abbas. Therapy Works is a counselling center from where Zahir sought certification to become a therapist.
The court had previously set October 7 as date to indict suspects in the case, but deferred it after the suspects filed fresh petitions, seeking certain documents along with the copy of the challan.