A court in Islamabad on Wednesday granted to the police three-day physical remand of Zahir Zakir Jaffer, suspect in the murder case of former Pakistan’s envoy’s daughter Noor Muqaddam, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Earlier, Zahir was produced in District and Session Court of Judicial Magistrate Shoaib Akhtar on the completion of his two-day remand period.

During the hearing when the judge asked from the prosecution what its stance was on the case, counsel for the state Sajid Cheema told the court that CCTV footages of the incident had been obtained.

Cheema, however, prayed to the court to remand the suspect in police custody for another three days since he had to be taken to Lahore for the forensic test of these footages.

Differing with the viewpoint of the state counsel, Zahir’s lawyer, on the occasion, said that it would be better to take picture of the suspect rather than taking him to Lahore for the forensic. “Police have already recovered weapons and cellphones from Zahir. Therefore, there is no need for an extension in remand,” he argued.

Cheema insisted that Zahir had to be taken to Lahore for the forensic; therefore extension in his remand was required. “If taking photograph of the suspect would have been enough, the state had not prayed to the court for the extension,” the state counsel said, and added, “Even in Usman Mirza’s case, all the characters had been taken to Lahore for the forensic.”

He told the court that the reason why suspects were taken to Lahore was to make sure that videos of the incidents were not edited.

Shaukat Muqaddam, Noor Muqaddam’s father, was also present at the court along with his counsel Shah Khawar.

Cheema demanded the court further extend Zahir’s remand given the fact that forensic of footages of the murder were to be conducted.

Interrupting the state counsel on the occasion, suspect’s lawyer asked as to why forensic test of the videos was not conducted during the seven-day physical remand of his client.

He said remand had been sought from the court even for recovering mobile phone from Zahir. “This is for the first time that I am hearing that remand is required for conducting the forensic of footages of the incident,” he wondered.

Counsel for the state prayed to the court to extend remand of the suspect only for three more days.

Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani