Geo News and The News have reported a timeline of events based on phone calls and text messages between Zahir Jaffer, Noor Mukadam, their parents and others involved. The timeline shows what happened in the three days that resulted in the murder of Noor Mukadam.
Disclaimer: some graphic information in the slides might be distressing and triggering for some readers.
Zahir Jaffer, alleged killer of Noor Mukadam, was taken to Lahore on Friday with heavy security to undergo a polygraph test at the Punjab forensic lab. It has been reported that experts at the lab asked him 20 questions and also conducted forensic analysis of the CCTV footage of the incident.
GEO News has reported that before the test was taken, Zahir kept trying to make excuses and also acted like he had fainted.
Zahir Jaffer’s remand was extended two days ago for another three days by a court in Islamabad. During the hearing, Zahir’s lawyer had said that if a forensic exam of the CCTV footage had to be done, it should be done by taking photos since the weapons and mobile phones had been recovered. There was no need to take Zahir to Lahore, he argued. The prosecution said the suspect has to be taken to Lahore. “If a photo was enough, we would not have asked for [the] remand,” he said.
Read more– ‘In grief’, Parents of Zahir Jaffer publish message for Noor
The public prosecutor also stated that even in the case of Usman Mirza, a man in Islamabad who allegedly assaulted and harassed a couple, they had taken all the suspects to Lahore.
Later, the court granted a three-day extension in the remand. Zahir will now be produced before the court on July 31.
Cases like Noor Mukadam’s makes us wonder: what happened to the murderers and rapist of the major violence against women cases in Pakistan? We follow up on seven major cases in Pakistan.
In September 2020, a woman was gang-raped at gunpoint in Lahore’s Gujjarpura area in the presence of her children after her car ran out of fuel. She was waiting for help on the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway (M-11).
What happened to the rapists?
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in March 2021 awarded a death sentence to prime accused and co-accused – Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali – in the motorway gang-rape case. The court also awarded life imprisonment to both convicts under the charges of abduction and 14-years imprisonment to each accused under the charges of robbery. They are currently serving their sentences in prison.
Zainab, who was only six years old, was raped and killed in Kasur. Her body was found in a rubbish dump.
What happened to the convict?
Imran Ali, 24, was convicted over the death of Zainab was sentenced to death was hanged in October 2018.
A law student, Shah Hussain, stabbed his class fellow, Khadija Siddiqi, 23 times in Lahore in May 2016.
What happened to the convict?
Shah Hussain was sentenced to jail for five years but he was released from jail on July 17 2021 without completing his five-year jail term. He got a 1.5-year remission for “good character and blood donation”.
In 2007, a 13-year-old schoolgirl, Kainat Soomro, was kidnapped and gang-raped for four days in her native village of Mehar in Sindh. After she spoke out against her rapists, the village elders decided that she should be killed for bringing dishonour to her family.
What happened to the convict?
Her parents rejected the decision; her brother was subsequently killed and her sister was divorced. She lost the court case against her rapists. The court ruled that the accused were innocent, stating that there was no corroborative evidence available on record. All four men accused of Kainat’s rape were hence acquitted.
In January 2005, Dr Shazia Khalid, an employee of a state-owned natural gas firm, was raped in Sui (Balochistan). She was working at the company’s hospital for the past 18 months while living alone in heavily guarded government-provided accommodation.
What happened to the convict?
The rapist of Dr Shazia Khalid, Captain Hammad, was declared innocent by Former Army Chief and Dictator Pervez Musharraf and no inquiry report on the subject was made public.
Mukhtar Mai was gang-raped by order of her tribal council as punishment for her younger brother’s alleged relationship with a woman from another clan.
What happened to the convicts?
In August 2002, an anti-terrorism court sentenced six out of the 14 accused persons to death. Four of them were sentenced for rape, while the other two were convicted as being members of the village council. Eight others were released.
In 2005, the Lahore High Court acquitted five, and subsequently released, of the six convicts while one person’s death penalty was converted to life imprisonment. Mai challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, but her appeal was rejected in 2011.
November 1991: Farhana, known as a friend of Benazir Bhutto, was assaulted, raped, and tortured for 12 hours at gunpoint by five men.
What happened?
A court case was filed against Irfanullah Khan Marwat for being behind the rape. No evidence was found against Marwat. After Marwat’s acquittal, Farhana moved out of Pakistan.
Parents of alleged murderer, Zahir Jaffer, Asmat and Zakir Jaffer have published a public message of grief in a local newspaper and lending their support to Noor’s family. However, the notice does not mention their son, who is the alleged killer of Noor Mukadam.
“We are devastated and grief-stricken at the brutal murder of Noor Mukadam, daughter of H.E. and Begum Shaukat Ali Mukaddam,” reads the message.
“We strongly condemn this unimaginably heinous act. There are no words that could comfort Noor’s family and loved ones at this difficult time. As parents, we cannot begin to imagine the pain that her family is going through. We stand unreservedly by Noor’s family and are committed to ensuring that the law takes its natural course and that justice is served.
Earlier, a statement was issued by the Jaffer family, which condemned the act of Zahir Jaffer.
“Our shock and grief at this horrific act has led to a prolonged silence that we very much regret. However, we categorically condemn this atrocity and forever denounce Zahir and his actions,” read the statement. However, the statement reads, ‘Jaffer family’ and does not name Zahir’s parents in the statement.
Islamabad police, arrested Zahir Jaffer, Zaqir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee for hiding evidence and abetting the murder. The court gave the police a two-day remand for the parents of Zahir Jaffer and they are to remain in police custody
Mehwish Hayat took to her Instagram account to condemn the rising violence against women and Judiciary’s proceedings on all the important cases. The Punajb Nahi Jaungi star also questioned the government and the Judicial system in a series of Instagram stories .
“Time for hashtags and slogans is over, we demand to know what the government is going to change the system,” she wrote.
The Load Wedding diva also said that its time for women to define their own narrative adding that, “We will not be bullied into silence.”
“Laws are there, but we need to make the enforcement of them more rigorous and less Traumatic for the victim.”
“Action has to be taken now. Before another victim, becomes a hashtag,” she concluded.
On the work front, Mehwish will be seen next in Humayun Saeed starrer London Nahi Jaunga, also featuring Kubra Khan.
Social media is enraged after the brutal murder of Noor Mukadam in Islamabad. Amid all the different stories done by various news outlets, what people want right now is that the authorities punish her murderer, Zahir Jaffer.
Noor’s friends and friends of her family have started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to hire a strong legal team to bring Noor’s killer to justice.
“As friends of Noor and friends of her family, we cannot watch her life flicker out without getting justice. Zahir Jaffer comes from an extremely well-connected and wealthy family. He and his parents have already secured legal representation from the best lawyers in the city, and they have the resources to fight this battle endlessly,” GoFundMe campaign for Noor stated.
“We, as friends of Noor, are launching this campaign so that as her family grieves their beautiful daughter, they do not have to carry the additional burden of worrying about how they will afford the legal representation they need for bringing Noor’s killer to justice,” it added.
The money raised through this campaign will be used to fight Noor’s case. “Going by past experience, this will likely be a lengthy process, spread over multiple stages of litigation. Our total has been calculated to account for all of this, and all proceeds raised through this platform will be used to directly fight Noor’s case.”
The campaign aims to use the remaining funds (if any) for the victims of domestic violence. “In the event that any funds remain, they will be directed to aid victims of domestic violence.”
You can donate here: https://gofund.me/e18511f7
Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani in a tweet has assured to provide space and unbiased space to the victims of abuse and harassment.
“While victims of abuse and harassment are bravely trying to take action against the perpetrators, they are pressurised, threatened and silenced by the very same perpetrators through their position, relations, financial position or network of connections,” wrote Inam Ghani in a tweet.
“In all such instances, the public should know and remember that my office is always open for all victims and vulnerable persons as a safe, unbiased space and we will support every victim who approaches us, to our best capabilities.”
“No injustice will be tolerated and protection and support will be given to all those who need it. Call 1787 in any such situation, in which case it will be given priority by me personally.”
IG Punjab’s tweets came after Noor Mukadam was beheaded in Islamabad.
Sajal Aly has spoken up on the Khadija Siddiqui’s stabbing case, as the Chup Raho actress took to her Instagram story to condemn the early release of her culprit Shah Hussain.
The O Rangreza diva believes that the authorities are needed to be reminded that the culprit’s crime was heinous and an early release doesn’t endorse the idea of a fair verdict.
Earlier this week, she used her social media influence to raise awareness on increasing crimes against women and its problematic impact on the society. The Yeh Dil Mera actress took to her Instagram stories to express her disappointment on the ongoing crises, primarily the Noor Mukadam case.
Read More: ‘No woman is safe in this country’: Sajal Aly posts heartfelt messages after Noor Mukadam’s case
On the work front, the Aangan star will be seen next in the feature film Khel Khel Mein opposite Bilal Abbas Khan.
Over the last few days, the news has been inundated with the different versions and revelations in relation to the murder of Noor Mukadam.
Here’s a list of the different versions of the same story.
Reportedly, Zahir Jaffer has confessed to the murder of Noor Mukadam. Police also gathered video evidence of Noor being tortured by Zahir.
The accused made the confession during interrogation but has not given a reason for murdering Noor. Dawn, The Express Tribune, ARY News, Dunya have reported that Zahir Jaffer, the prime suspect in the murder of Noor, confessed to killing her before the investigators during his interrogation. Sources said the prime suspect has repeatedly changed his reasoning for committing the brutal crime.
However, Geo News and Samaa have not reported on the confession yet.
All news outlets have confirmed that the Islamabad police have also found video evidence of him torturing Noor on his mobile phone, as well as CCTV footage of the incident.
Only two media organisations reported the story of Noor seeking help from her driver while being held as a hostage at Zahir Jaffer’s house.
Noor Mukadam asked her driver to arrange Rs700,000 and bring it to the house of Zahir Jaffer, the main accused in her murder, Noor’s driver told Geo News.
The Express Tribune reported, the victim’s family reportedly informed the investigation team that Noor had instructed her driver to bring Rs700,000 to the accused’s house. However, the investigation team said no money has been recovered yet. A senior police officer added that there was no confirmation of the money being withdrawn from the victim’s account, from her home, or from any other relatives. However, Geo news says that the driver collected three lakh rupees from his own resources, friends, and acquaintances.
No other major news outlet has run this story.
All major news outlets reported that a guard at the house of Zahir Jaffer saw Noor Mukadam trying to escape as she jumped off the balcony. When she jumped off the balcony, she landed on the Air Conditioner Unit ( Condenser). Zahir too jumped off from the balcony and grabbed her. The guard tried to help her but Zahir grabbed her by her hair and took her back into her room and locked the door.
BBC Urdu reported that Noor jumped out of the ‘Roshandan‘ [a small window].
BBC Urdu, Dawn, and The Express Tribune added that Noor hid in the guard’s room after finding the gate locked, adding that later the accused broke into the room and dragged her back into the house.
Geo News did not report Noor hiding in the guard’s room.
Editor of The Nation Salman Masood, mentioned that Zahir brutally killed Noor and chopped off her head from the body while the Therapy Works team and a group of mutual friends tried to enter his room.
Dawn reported that the SSP Rehman further said her [Noor’s] friends reached the house of the accused, but he refused to let them enter, adding that he remained on the balcony, brandishing weapons and hurling abuses at them. One of the friends informed the girl’s father while another friend called the police.
However, as per Geo News, a neighbour had gone to the Kohsar Police station to inform them and not a friend. By the time the police reached, the team of Therapy Works had tied up Zahir.
Editor of The Nation Salman Masood and Geo News reported that Noor was detained for two days at Zahir’s house.
Other media outlets have not reported the duration of stay.
The reason for murder has yet not been confirmed.
However, Geo News reported that Zahir called his parents before the murder and told them that Noor has refused to marry him.
Meanwhile, ARY News reported that allegedly Zahir in his statement said that he killed Noor for cheating on him
The parents of Zahir Zakir Jaffer — a key suspect in Noor Mukadam’s murder — on Tuesday moved a bail petition in a district and sessions court in Islamabad against their detention. Admitting the petition, the court issued a notice to the police and set July 30 as the date for the hearing.