An Islamabad district and session court on Wednesday dismissed a plea on the formation of medical board to ascertain the mental health of Zahir Jaffer - primary accused in Noor murder case.
Earlier today, Judge Atta Rabbani reserved the verdict on the request by Zahir's counsel after hearing arguments from the defendant and plaintiff lawyers.
The court adjourned hearing of the case till January 15.
In December last year, Zahir's counsel filed a petition in the court saying his client was suffering from severe mental ailment.
The petition further said it was necessary for an authorised medical board to determine his client's health in accordance with local and international laws.
In Wednesday's hearing the plaintiff's lawyer, Advocate Shah Khawar in his argument said the request for the formation of medical board should be rejected because it was made by the prime accused when the murder trial was concluding.
Public prosecutor Hassan Abbas in his argument said the request made by Zahir's lawyer is not fit for hearing as the lawyer who submitted the request was a state counsel.
At this Zahir's lawyer, Sikander Zulqarnain, argued that the request for formation of medical board was submitted in the court after the case was registered against his client.
During hearing of the case, the lawyers also cross-examined the statement of computer operator Mudassir who was asked about the length of the CCTV footage and memory capacity of the DVR on which the crime scene was recorded.
The CCTV footage from the crime scene was also played in the courtroom after observers in the courtroom were asked to leave. Later, the judge allowed the observers to attend the proceedings.
It is pertinent to note that the CCTV footage of the incident was leaked on media in November following which the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) prohibited channels to air the content.
Noor Mukadam, 27-year-old woman, 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.
