ISLAMABAD: The trial court has charged 12 accused persons in the Noor Mukadam murder case with 15 grave crimes.

       The accused, including the principal accused Zahir Jaffer, pleaded not guilty and intended to face the trial.

       Additional District and Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani on Thursday indicted the accused including Zahir Jaffer and his parents Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee.

       The first charge against Zahir was that he murdered Noor Mukadam by cutting her throat with a knife which has been recovered. He also stopped Noor twice from escaping from his house.

       The third charge is confining and the fourth charge is committing rape of the deceased.

       The fifth charge is against the parents of the main accused about concealing the facts from the police.

       The sixth charge said they did not disclose to the police that their son had planned the murder of Noor.

       The seventh charge accused Zakir and owner of a therapy centre Tahir Zahoor of “causing disappearance of evidence.”

       The eight charge is framed jointly against Zakir, Asmat, Iftikhar (watchman), Mohammad Jan (gardener) and Jamil Ahmed (cook) that they were aware of illegal act and activities of Zahir but did not inform police.

       The ninth and 10th charges were framed against Iftikhar, Mohammad Jan and Jamil for concealing the abduction of Noor and Zahir’s murder plan. They have also been accused in the 11th and 12th charges of not letting the deceased escape.

       Charge number 13, 14 and 15 are against Zakir and the owner and workers of the therapy centre of concealing the facts.

       Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2021