ISLAMABAD: The alleged killer of Noor Mukadam has accused her father Shaukat Mukadam of implicating him in the murder case.

Zahir Jaffer, as per police challan, has confessed to killing Noor Mukadam for rejecting his marriage proposal. The accused, however, backtracked from the confession while recording his statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The principal accused submitted his statement in writing to the court on Monday.

The statement stated: “I want to bring on record that I am innocent in this case and I along with other co-accused have been falsely roped in this case in order to save the actual culprits.”

Prime accused backtracks from confession about killing Noor for rejecting his marriage proposal

He stated: “I and Noor Mukadam were good friends and were in living relationship with mutual consent since last many years. Same was in the knowledge of both the families and they never ever objected to it. Noor participated in our family functions and events and I also used to attend her family functions and events like a family member. Six months before the unfortunate occurrence, I and Noor were not in talking terms and suddenly July 18, 2021, Noor herself established contact with me and asked for arranging a drug party. She also wanted to invite her friends to the party.”

He stated that his ticket was confirmed for America on July 19, 2021, and he along with Noor left the house in the night of July 19 for the airport in a taxi but Noor insisted on leaving the flight.”

On July 20, in the afternoon, Noor called her friends for a party and her friends came to my house.

“I became under the heavy intoxication of drug and all other participants including Noor were also under influence of heavy drugs, (the report of forensic histopathology verifies this fact which the prosecution itself relied on in his evidence). I got out of senses and after hours when I got my senses I was in a tied up condition in the lounge of my house. I made hue and cry on which some persons in police uniform and civil dresses rescued me. I came to know that Noor had been murdered by someone among the participants,” the statement added.

As per the statement, Shaukat Mukadam is an influential person and he held a press conference along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill.

“A widespread negative campaign was started against me and my family by pseudo social media activists and feminist liking organisations to achieve their nefarious designs and making money. My trial before the court is still pending but mock social media activists and self-styled feminists started demanding my hanging without providing me the opportunity to prove my innocence through legal course.

“I am also an acute patient of drug psychosis and have remained under treatment in Pakistan and abroad. During the trial, a number of times, requests were made to the trial court and prison authorities for my medical checkup and constitution of a board but the prison authorities due to influence of Shaukat Mukadam and state machinery did not provide health facilities to the undersigned/accused.”

The accused claimed that most of the prosecution evidence against him was fabricated, tampered, doctored and in violation of the law. “For what has been stated above, me and my parents are innocent in this case but due to influence of the complainant, indulgence of state stakeholders I have been implicated in the case to usurp money.”

The counsel for Zahir Jaffer concluded his arguments and further proceeding was adjourned till Feb 16.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2022