Noor Mukadam murder case: SC adjourns Zahir Jaffer’s appeal against conviction

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of Zahir Jaffer’s appeal against his conviction in the Noor Mukadam murder case until May 19.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar heard the appeal against the conviction of appellant Zahir Jaffer.During the hearing, Salman Safdar, counsel for Zahir Jaffer, appeared before the court and sought adjournment for submitting some additional documents related to the case.

Justice Hashim Khan Kakar asked the counsel why he was seeking an adjournment while present in the court. Salman Safdar contended that his client was mentally ill, adding that the trial court and high court ignored that legal point before convicting his client, therefore, he contended that he wants to file some documents that could significantly alter the case.

He further submitted that the lower courts ignored previous Supreme Court rulings relevant to this matter. Justice Baqar Najafi asked if the issue of mental illness had been raised in the trial and high courts, to which the lawyer responded affirmatively but said it was ignored.

Justice Hashim Khan Kakar asked the counsel that he can raise that point even now and there is no need for a separate application. Criticising the practice of unnecessary adjournment, Justice Kakar observed that cases are only postponed in instances like the death of a judge or lawyer, not for routine delays.

Justice Kakar remarked that a convict who has spent twenty years on death row and if he appears before us after being acquitted, he might just throw the case files at our faces.Salman Safdar contended that no medical board has been formed to assess the mental health of the convict. Shah Khawar, the counsel from the opposite side, however, opposed the request for a new miscellaneous application.