In his written order to an application requesting the formation of a medical board to ascertain mental health of Zahir Jaffer – prime suspect in Noor Mukadam murder case, the judge on Thursday said the suspect does not suffer from mental illness.

“Facts and attending circumstances reveal that the accused is not suffering from mental illness,” read the four-page written order issued by Additional session judge Atta Rabbani following the dismissal of the plea on Wednesday.

He added the afterthought plea had been raised just to get rid of criminal liability.

In its order the court also noted Jaffer's parents and other family members were also regularly appearing in the court and pursuing the case. However, they did not submit any application related to the mental health condition of the prime suspect.

“For the sake of arguments if the accused is presumed as mentally disordered [sic] then application should have been moved through next friend or mother or father,” read the written order.

During investigation of the case as well as during inquiry proceedings no such plea of mental disorder was raised. On November 24, 2021 state counsel Advocate Sikandar Zulqarnain Saleem appointed for accused Zahir Jaffer. He moved the application in hand for the formation of medical board to ascertain the mental condition of the accused.

During cross-examination of two prosecution witnesses 12 and 13, they argued that the “accused is a famous person running his family’s business legacy.”

“He conducted counselling sessions in Beacon House School, Satellite town branch Rawalpindi. He is mentally fit and cannot be presumed to be insane or mentally disordered,” read the written order.

For the first time Advocate Saleem raised objection on December 1, 2021 about the accused suffering a mental disorder.

The court order stated: “No such objection has ever been raised earlier before the learned magistrates at remand stage as well as before this court.”

It further stated the trail of the case was going to end very soon and the objection regarding mental state of the main accused had been raised.

It was also highlighted in the written order that the application was submitted without providing the accused's pervious medical history.

The court also “tentatively examined the accused” on December 8, 2021. However, the court observed no “disability”.

The court found no reason to constitute a medical board and the “application in hand is dismissed”.

Noor Mukadam, 27, was brutally murdered in Jaffer's home in Islamabad on July 20, 2021. Zahir, his parents, their household staff and six members of Therapy Works, a counselling and psychotherapy centre, have been indicted in the case on October 14.