The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has instructed TV channels to stop telecasting CCTV footage in the Noor Mukadam murder case, it was reported on Sunday.

The PEMRA's order comes a day after several media outlets aired and uploaded the sensitive CCTV camera footage at the residence of prime accused in the case, Zahir Jaffer.

The restriction has been placed under Section 27 of PEMRA Ordinance, 2002 as per a notification issued by the media regulatory authority.

"All the satellite TV channels (news and current affairs/ regional language) are directed to stop airing aforementioned [ Noor Mukadam and Zahir Jaffer] CCTV footage immediately, failing which strict action shall be initiated against the violators under Section 29, 30 and 33 of PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended PEMRA (Amendement) Act 2007," read the PEMRA notification.

Court orders to unseal CCTV footage

On November 11, an Islamabad trial court had ordered the investigation officer to unseal the CCTV footage and give copies to the lawyers representing Zahir Jaffer and his parents, Asmat and Zakir Jaffer in the murder case.

The directives were issued by the sessions court following the request of the investigation officer to unseal the CCTV footage.

Judge Atta Rabbani said the decision to hand over the video footage, wherein Noor could be seen entering the house where she was murdered, was taken on directives of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Transcripts of footage provided

Earlier this week, the defence was provided with copies of the transcript of the footage.

A brief transcript of the CCTV footage of Noor Mukadam murder. According to the description, Noor could be seen entering the house of Zahir Jaffer, the prime suspect, at 10:18pm on July 18 while talking on the phone. As she entered the house, watchman Iftikhar could also be seen in the video footage.

Then, Zahir Jaffer and Noor Mukaddam could be seen exiting the house at 2:40am with bags and then re-entering it after keeping them in a taxi.

In another clip, Noor Mukadam could be seen running towards the main gate of the house barefoot and desperately before watchman Iftikhar shut the gate at her.

According to the transcript, Zahir Jaffer appears at the gate and grabs the victim, who pleads to let her go. Zahir Jaffer drags Noor inside the house and at 2:46 am, both were seen leaving the house in the taxi, parked outside the house.

At 2:52 am, they both return and enter the house with the bags they had earlier kept in the taxi while the watchman Iftikhar could be seen opening the gate for them.

At 7:12 pm, Noor could be seen jumping off the first floor and falling on the grill of the ground floor with her mobile phone. Then she hobbles towards the main gate, but the watchman and another man, who was later found out to be the gardener, closes the door before Zahir Jaffer, who could be seen jumping from the terrace of the first floor and running, grabs her.

He could be seen locking the victim in a cabin built inside the house and then opening it and snatching the victim’s mobile phone. Then, the suspect dragged her inside the house.

At 8:06pm, a five to six members team of Therapy Works could be seen entering the house at 8:42pm and attempting to enter the house.

The Therapy Works team could be seen coming out of the house with an injured person at 8:55pm.

Indictment

At an earlier hearing, a district and sessions court in Islamabad indicted 12 accused for their alleged involvement in the murder of Noor.

Besides Zahir, the court framed charges against his parents, their three household staff, Iftikhar, Jan Muhammad and Jameel, and six Therapy Works employees, identified as Tahir Zahoor, Amjad, Dilip Kumar, Abdul Haq, Wamiq and Samar Abbas.

Of the accused, the six Therapy Works employees, who are currently on bail, appeared before the court in their personal capacity. The remaining suspects were brought to the court from Adiala jail.

This article first appeared in Business Recorder on Nov 14, 2021.