The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Sunday prohibited all TV channels from airing a leaked CCTV footage of Noor Mukadam’s unsuccessful attempt to escape the premises of the house where she was eventually murdered.
According to the notification issued by Pemra, telecast of CCTV footage of Noor and Zahir has been prohibited under Section 27 of the Pemra Ordinance, 2002.
“All satellite TV channels (news and current affairs/regional language) are, therefore, directed to stop airing aforementioned CCTV footage immediately,” the notification said.
The regulator warned that strict action will be taken against violators under Section 29, 30 and 33 of the Pemra Ordinance, 2002.
On November 9, the prosecution in the Noor case had submitted the transcript of the CCTV footage to an Islamabad sessions court. Subsequently, the court had directed the public prosecutor to provide the footage to the defence counsel.
Meanwhile, a Twitter account run by Noor’s friends denounced the fact that TV channels were airing the CCTV footage despite explicit instructions from the court stating otherwise.
“Absolutely shocked and shattered. Its only been a day since the CCTV footage was given to the defence legal team,” a tweet published through the account said. “The Judge told them that it shouldn’t be leaked at all. Now it’s out there. No regard of what this would be like for Noor’s loved ones. Haven’t they been through enough?
PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb said she was “disappointed” to see the CCTV footage being aired.
“[I] can’t begin to imagine how distressing and difficult this must be for Noor’s family and loved ones who are being forced to relive the barbarism she was subjected too,” the PML-N leader said on Twitter.
“This horrible, tragic crime tore through our social fabric and deeply affected all Pakistanis. Airing and sharing the video of Noor’s final moments only further damages that social fabric and causes anguish to her family. I’d request everyone to please not share the video,” she appealed.
As per the transcript of the CCTV, submitted in the court of Islamabad Additional Sessions Judge Ata Rabbani, the time of the digital video recorder was 35 minutes ahead of PST.
As per the footage, on July 18 at 10:18pm, Noor could be seen entering Zahir’s home while attending a phone call. At 2:39am on July 19, the two could be seen coming out of the house with bags, which they placed in a taxi and then went back inside.
A couple of minutes later, at 2:41am, Noor comes running barefooted towards the gate in fear and panic upon which Iftikhar (watchman) could be seen closing the gate to prevent her from leaving. The transcript added that Zahir came out of the house and grabbed Noor, proceeding to forcibly drag her back inside despite her pleading with her hands joined together.
Sometime later at 2:46am, the pair could once again be seen exiting the house and approaching the gate. This time, they sit in the taxi across the street with their baggage and depart in the car.
They return just minutes later at 2:52am and go back inside the house with their bags while Iftikhar and a black dog could also be seen in the yard.
On July 20 at 7:12pm, Noor could be seen jumping from the first floor of the house, a cell phone in her hand — onto the grill beside the ground floor gallery. She then staggered towards the main gate and wanted to go out but Iftikhar and the gardener could be seen closing the door to stop her.
Later, Zahir jumped from the first floor as well, ran towards Noor and then trapped her in a cabin beside the gate. He snatched Noor’s mobile phone from her and dragged her back inside the house.
At 8:06pm, Therapyworks’ employees could be seen entering through the main gate and trying to enter the house at 8:42pm. Later at 8:55pm, the employees could be seen bringing out an injured person and taking them towards the gate.
Noor, 27, was found brutally murdered at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale Sector F-7/4 on July 20. A first information report (FIR) was registered the same day against Zahir Jaffer — the main accused, who was arrested from the site of the murder, under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the victim’s father, Shaukat Ali Mukadam.
A trial court on October 14 had indicted Zahir along with 11 others in the case — his parents, their three household staff including Iftikhar (watchman), Jan Muhammad (gardener) and Jameel (cook), Therapyworks CEO Tahir Zahoor and employees Amjad, Dilip Kumar, Abdul Haq, Wamiq and Samar Abbas. The murder trial formally began on October 20.
