ISLAMABAD: Police have added four more sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, mainly related to abetment and concealing evidence, in the FIR of Noor Mukadam murder case and arrested the parents of the alleged killer, Zahir Jaffer, as well as the family guards.

The capital administration also sealed the office of Therapyworks.

Senior police officers told Dawn on condition of anonymity on Sunday that four new sections of the PPC were added in the FIR in view of information collected by investigators and statements taken from different people, including the victim’s father.

The sections added in the FIR are 109 (Punishment of abetment if the Act abetted committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 176 (Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), and 511 (Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or for a shorter term).

The girl was in the captivity of the accused at his house and the guards were well aware about it, the police officers said, adding that she resisted and made attempts to escape from the house which was also seen by the guards, but they did not inform the police.

The parents of the accused were also informed by the victim’s father that his daughter was being detained in their house by their son, the police said, adding that they also hid the crime and instead of informing the police, informed Therapyworks.

The mobile phones of the victim and the accused were also missing and it was believed that Zahir Jaffer’s parents were behind it, the officers said, adding that the crime scene was also tampered with and some items which could have provided evidence or clue were found missing or changed.

More arrests are likely under the same charges, they added.

Addition of more section(s) of PPC and Anti-Terrorism Act cannot be ruled out, including PPC 311 and 7ATA, the officers said, adding that samples taken from the body during autopsy for DNA and chemical examination tests on July 21 were still lying with the investigators and yet to be delivered to laboratories for testing.

The autopsy was conducted at 9:30am on July 21 at the Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital and the time between the death and the postmortem was 9-10 hours, the police officers said, adding that the timing suggested the victim died between 11:30pm and 12:30pm.

Samples of heart, lungs, stomach, liver and spleen were taken for chemical examination while nail scrapings and vaginal swab was obtained for DNA testing, the officers said.

The delay in sending samples for test has been caused due to unavailability of reference letters, which are issued by a senior superintendent of police, they said.

When contacted, the investigating officer, Inspector Abdul Sattar, confirmed that four more sections had been added in the FIR under which the parents and guards of the accused were arrested. The four were produced in the court of duty magistrate which gave them in police custody on two-day physical remand, he added.

He said the staff of Therapyworks was also accused in the case, as they reached the house between 7:30pm and 8pm and found the headless body of the girl in a room.

So far, it is yet to be established how and when the girl reached the house, and whether she came on her own or was brought forcibly, Inspector Sattar said, adding that according to the guards she was in the house since July 19 and made attempts to escape.

The investigating officer said the samples would be sent to laboratories in a day or two.

Moreover, the capital administration sealed the office of Therapyworks in Islamabad.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat toldDawnthat investigation was conducted against Therapyworks in connection with the murder of Noor Mukadam in view of reports over affiliation of the accused with it.

“We have asked them under which law they gave the certificate to psychos after their treatment to conduct therapy and what is written in it,” he said.

A deadline of two days has been given to the Therapyworks administration to furnish documents and certificates, including their affiliation and registration, Mr Shafqaat said.

When contacted, Chief Executive Officer of Therapyworks Tahir Ahmed toldDawnthey received a call from the parents of Zahir Jaffer, saying they were in Karachi. They said their son and the girl were alone in the house and asked them to control him by administrating an injection (medicine) and take him to a hospital, he added.

Mr Ahmed said the staff reached there, overpowered the accused and handed him over to the police.

Candlelight vigil

Civil society held a candlelight vigil on Sunday evening in memory of Noor Mukadam, who was brutally killed a few days ago.

The participant of the vigil also observed a one-minute silence and offered prayers for the victim. They displayed a portrait of the deceased girl and lit candles.

The event was held at a public park in F-7/4, the same sector where Noor was beheaded.

Holding placards in their hands inscribed with different slogans for justice, the participants strongly condemned the murder of Noor. — Additional reporting by Kashif Abbasi

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2021