ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of Zahir Jaffer’s appeal against his death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case until 19 May, following consensus from both par-ties.
A three-member bench, led by Justice Hashim Kakar and comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, heard the high-profile case. Defence counsel Salman Safdar and prosecution lawyer Shah Khawar were present in court during the proceedings.
Safdar requested a postponement, citing the need to submit additional documents. Justice Kakar, however, expressed displeasure over delays, remarking: “Why should we grant an adjournment if you’re already present in court?”
The judge further criticised unnecessary delays in the judicial system, saying: “In our court, a case is only delayed if the judge or a lawyer dies.” He questioned the consequences of overturning a sen-tence after someone had spent 20 years on death row, asking what a freed convict might think in such a scenario.
“Our fault lies in entertaining unnecessary adjournments — not the system’s,” Justice Kakar remarked sharply. “If a convicted man appears before us after being acquitted, he may as well throw the file in our face,” he added.
Despite the defence counsel’s request, the court maintained that a decision would be made once the application was submitted. Justice Najafi also intervened, advising Khawar to formally respond only after the request had been submitted.
The hearing was adjourned until May 19, with instructions to both legal teams to come fully prepared. –Agencies
