ISLAMABAD: A sessions court in Islamabad on Tuesday reserved its verdict in the Noor Mukadam murder case after all sides concluded their arguments, bringing to a close hearings that have gripped the nation and a trial that is one of the most-closely watched in recent Pakistani history.
The trial for the case formally started at Islamabad’s district court in October last year, with additional sessions judge Atta Rabbani conducting hearings. The judge reserved his verdict on Tuesday after the completion of arguments by both the defense and prosecution attorneys, saying he would announce it on February 24, Thursday.
Mukadam, the daughter of a former Pakistani diplomat, was found beheaded in Islamabad’s upscale F-7/4 neighborhood in July last year. The murder sparked public outrage and grabbed media attention unlike any other recent crime against women. The key suspect in the murder, Zahir Jaffer, was arrested from the crime scene, his residence, on the day of the murder. He was indicted last October.
Others charged in the case include Jaffer’s parents, Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, their three household staff, Iftikhar, Jan Muhammad and Jameel, and six employees of Therapy Works, a counseling center from where Jaffer had received certification to become a therapist and where he had been receiving treatment in the weeks leading up to the murder. The charges range from abetment to concealment of evidence.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Public Prosecutor Hassan Abbas said Jaffer’s arrest from the crime scene was enough for his conviction.
“This is a clear case,” he told the court. “[Noor’s] Bloodstains were found on the suspect’s clothes and body.”
The prosecutor said forensic reports also proved Mukadam was tortured before the murder and she could be seen in CCTV footage being dragged by Jaffer back into the house as she tried to escape.
Abbas said Zahir called his father on 7:29pm to inform him about the murder, and after that the suspects established contact with Therapy Works.
The prosecutor also raised questions over the presence of Therapy Works staffers at the crime scene, saying police reached the spot while the counselling team was trying to move Zahir after tying him up with rope.
“No drug or poison was detected in the lungs of Noor Mukadam,” he told the court while referring to a forensic report.
At an earlier hearing, Jaffer, who initially confessed to the crime before police and the court, pleaded not guilty to the killing, saying he was innocent and wrongly implicated in the case. His lawyers also told the court that Mukadam had arranged a “drug party” at Jaffer’s residence on July 20 as his parents were away in Karachi, saying Jaffer fell unconscious from “overuse” of drugs and Mukadam was killed by someone else who had attended the party. At another hearing, the defense also asked the court to consider the possibility that Mukadam had been “honor killed” by her brother.
The Mukadam family’s counsel, advocate Shah Khawar, said all evidence including DNA, call data record (CDR), digital video record (DVR) and forensics was collected using scientific methods and pointed toward Jaffer’s guilt.
“The court should grant maximum punishment to all the accused,” he prayed before the court.
Talking to reporters after the conclusion of the trial, Noor Mukadam’s father Shaukat Mukadam, expressed satisfaction over the court proceedings, saying the family had sought “maximum punishment” for all accused in the case.
“We have complete trust in the judge,” he said as he appreciated the court for holding a fair trial. He also expressed satisfaction over the police investigation, saying “the police did a good job within their limitations.”
“It was a difficult time, but I trust my daughter fully,” Shaukat said. “It stands proven now from the CCTV footage and others that she was held hostage and in detention [in Jaffer house].”
Islamabad court to announce verdict in Noor Mukadam murder trial on Thursday
https://arab.news/w4p8a
Islamabad court to announce verdict in Noor Mukadam murder trial on Thursday
- Noor Mukadam was found beheaded in Islamabad last July in a case that has gripped the nation
- The months-long trial was one of the most closely watched in recent Pakistani history
Pakistan blockchain chief meets US counterpart amid digital assets adoption push
- Bilal Bin Saqib meets the director of Trump’s Council of Advisers for Digital Assets in Washington
- He says Pakistan is building a real framework for digital asset adoption and economic modernization
KARACHI: Pakistan’s top blockchain policymaker on Wednesday expressed the country’s ambition to become the Global South’s leader in digital assets during a meeting with his American counterpart at the White House in Washington.
Bilal Bin Saqib, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Crypto & Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, met with Robert ‘Bo’ Hines, Executive Director of the US President’s Council of Advisers for Digital Assets.
The meeting marked a deepening of bilateral engagement on cryptocurrency strategy and blockchain integration between the two countries.
In March, Pakistan established the Pakistan Crypto Council to help guide national policy on blockchain, digital currencies, and crypto-related investments. The move followed the government’s announcement of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) at the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas — making Pakistan one of the first Asian countries to integrate Bitcoin into its sovereign asset strategy.
“I envision Pakistan to be a leader in the Global South for digital assets,” Saqib said according to a statement circulated after the meeting. “From launching our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to unlocking national infrastructure for crypto mining and AI data zones, Pakistan is building a real framework for digital asset adoption and economic modernization.”
During the meeting, both officials discussed aligning national strategies on decentralized technologies, fostering regulatory coherence and building innovation ecosystems to promote youth engagement and financial inclusion.
Bo Hines, appointed in January by President Donald Trump, heads US policy development on digital assets and works alongside Council Chair David Sacks to position the United States as a global leader in the sector.
Saqib also held a separate meeting with officials from the White House Counsel’s Office to discuss legal frameworks around blockchain governance.
Pakistan’s broader digital asset strategy includes allocating 2,000 megawatts of surplus power to support Bitcoin mining and AI-driven data zones, aiming to turn untapped energy into economic productivity, job creation and digital infrastructure growth.
As regulatory frameworks continue to evolve globally, Pakistan says it is taking proactive steps to integrate private sector innovation with state policy and international partnerships, positioning itself as a key player in the next phase of the global digital economy.
Pakistan says 14 militants killed in northwest as PM Sharif vows to root out extremist violence
- Security forces killed the militants in an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan district
- The prime minister applauds the security forces for their ‘professional excellence’ after the operation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces killed 14 militants this week in the country’s volatile northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged to completely eradicate militancy from the country.
The operation comes amid a noticeable uptick in militant attacks in Pakistan, particularly in the border regions near Afghanistan.
In recent weeks, Pakistani officials have increasingly blamed India for backing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an outlawed umbrella group of militant factions responsible for a majority of attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Islamabad refers to the TTP as Fitna Al-Khawarij, a term rooted in Islamic history that denotes an extremist sect that rebelled against legitimate authority and declared other Muslims as apostates. It also describes the group as an Indian proxy.
“On 2-3 June 2025, an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the security forces in general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District, on reported presence of Khawarij belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna Al-Khawarij,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
“During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the Indian-sponsored Khawarij location, and after an intense exchange of fire, fourteen Indian-sponsored Khawarij were sent to hell,” it added.
The ISPR said “sanitization operations” were ongoing to clear the area of any remaining militants, reaffirming the military’s commitment to “wipe out the menace of Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country.”
Prime Minister Sharif also praised the security forces for their “professional excellence” in the North Waziristan operation, saying such efforts were critical to eliminating the threat posed by what he called enemies of humanity.
“We will crush the nefarious designs of these terrorists,” Sharif said in a statement issued by his office. “With the professional capability of our security forces, we will uproot the monster of terrorism once and for all.”
He said the government and the armed forces were fully committed to ensuring the complete elimination of militant violence from Pakistan.
Soaring prices put damper on Eid Al-Adha sales at Asia’s largest cattle market in Karachi
- Prices of small animals have risen by $72, big animals by as much as $251.80, market spokesman says
- Analysts say Pakistan’s increasing meat exports have constrained supply, driven cattle prices up this year
KARACHI: The Eid Al-Adha festival should be the busiest time of the year at Asia’s largest cattle market in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth area. But soaring prices have driven away many of the people who would usually buy cows and goats to sacrifice on the Muslim holiday.
One of Islam’s two main festivals, Eid Al-Adha marks the climax of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, when Muslims slaughter animals to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim, or Abraham, to sacrifice his son on God’s command, often distributing meat to the poor.
But this year, people like Nasir Khan, 25, say higher prices mean they cannot afford to carry out the important ritual.
“I can’t afford it this time,” Khan told Arab News, saying he had opted out of a seven-member group he had been a part of for years, which pooled money to buy sacrificial animals as a collective activity.
This year, the price of an average-sized cow or bull at the Sohrab Goth market had risen by around 94 percent to Rs330,000 [$1,201], said Abdul Jabbar, another buyer who did not disclose his age or profession and had decided against buying once he discovered the steep prices.
On a hot afternoon earlier this month, Jabbar strolled through the Karachi market as hundreds of cattle sat idle under makeshift tents.
“The price trend is very high, almost double from last year,” he said.
“The animal we had bought at Rs 170,000 ($611.51) last year is now up for sale at as much as Rs330,000 ($1,187.05).”
“MEAT EXPORTS”
Inflation in Pakistan peaked as high as 38 percent in May 2023. In May 2025, it rose to 3.5 percent, following a significant drop to 0.3 percent in April. But while food and fuel prices have somewhat decreased, financial experts say the prices of sacrificial animals have gone up, mainly due to increasing meat exports.
In the fiscal year 2023-24, Pakistan’s meat exports reached a record $512 million, a 20 percent increase from the previous year. This growth was driven by a 24 percent increase in export volume, reaching 123,515 tones.
While the majority of Pakistan’s meat production is consumed domestically, the country has seen significant growth in exports, particularly to Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Indonesia, and China.
Increasing meat exports reduces the number of cattle available domestically and during Eid Al-Adha season, when demand is seasonal and peaks sharply, supply becomes constrained.
“Price hike is due to meat exports and inflation in previous years,” Ahsan Mehanti, chief executive officer at Arif Habib Commodities Limited, explained.
“We have seen that there is a major increase in the export of livestock in the past three years, around more than 50 percent.”
Zaki Abro, a spokesperson for the Sohrab Goth cattle market, attributed the surge in prices to the availability of fewer animals due to thousands being killed in recent floods.
In 2022, Pakistan experienced devastating floods that resulted in the loss of over 1.1 million livestock. This figure includes approximately 500,000 livestock in Balochistan, over 428,000 in Sindh, and over 205,100 in Punjab provinces.
“On average the prices of small animals have risen by as much as Rs20,000 [$71.94] while the big animals have gone pricier by Rs 70,000 [$251.80],” Abro said.
“MARKET IS DULL”
The effects of high prices were visible at the Karachi cattle market last week, with few buyers present despite it being spread over an area of around 1,200 acres and 175,000 cattle up for sale.
Livestock merchants Muhammad Ismail and Obaidullah confirmed a drop in the number of buyers.
“We have a lot of animals still unsold,” Ismail, 26, said. “This could be maybe because of inflation.”
The traders blamed the high rates they were charging on the higher rates they had to pay wholesalers and the cattle market’s administration. The cost of animal feed had also sky-rocketed, they said. Global supply chain disruptions, local market volatility, inflation, and currency devaluation have all contributed to this rise.
The cost of fodder had surged by nearly 50 percent, impacting cattle farming, merchants said.
“Our eight to nine months farming cost for each of these animals this year increased to Rs250,000 [$899.28] from Rs150,000 [$539.57] a year ago,” Ismail explained.
Trader Obaidullah said sellers also had to pay a fee of Rs30,000 [$107.91] per animal to the cattle market authorities.
“Last year the market performed well,” Ismail added.
“All of our animals had sold out. More than half of the market had emptied by this time last year. This year the market is dull.”
PM Sharif pledges to preserve peace in Pakistan’s restive northwestern province ‘at all costs’
- The prime minister addresses a jirga in Peshawar, praising the sacrifices of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s people in the fight against militancy
- He says a committee has been formed to address the province’s financial concerns, with its first meeting scheduled for August
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday vowed to preserve peace in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province “at all costs,” praising the sacrifices of its people and calling for unity against what he described as Indian-backed militant threats.
Sharif made the remarks during a visit to Peshawar, where he addressed a Grand Jirga of tribal elders alongside the country’s army chief and top federal ministers. The visit took place amid a resurgence in militant attacks in the region bordering Afghanistan and growing concern over cross-border threats.
“The sacrifices rendered by the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are indelibly inscribed in the annals of our national history,” the prime minister said during his address. “The entire nation salutes your courage, resolve and unwavering commitment.”
He urged tribal elders to stand firm against what he called the “Indian-sponsored Fitna-ul-Khawarij,” a term used by Pakistani authorities for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants who they believe are ideologically extremist and backed by foreign actors.
“Peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shall be preserved at all costs,” he said. “The Pakistan Army, in unison with all security institutions and the valiant people of the province, stands firmly united against the Fitna-ul-Khawarij and its foreign abettors.”
Sharif also called for improved bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan and said Afghan soil must not be used by Indian proxies to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan.
During the jirga, Sharif also addressed financial concerns raised by provincial authorities regarding development funding. He confirmed that a committee had already been formed to review the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, a constitutional mechanism for the distribution of financial resources between the federal government and provinces.
“The chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had raised the matter of revisiting the NFC around six weeks ago in Islamabad,” Sharif said. “We immediately formed a committee and provincial nominees have been finalized. The first meeting will be held in August.”
Sharif also praised the youth of the province, calling them a vital national asset and encouraging them to contribute to peace and national cohesion.
Pakistan says India mimicking Israeli aggression, urges Modi to avoid ‘worst examples’
- Bhutto-Zardari calls Modi a ‘poor copy’ of Netanyahu who thinks he can justify attacks on Muslim states by invoking ‘terrorism’
- He says India, Pakistan are heirs to the Indus Valley Civilization, which was not known for weapons but for urban advancement
ISLAMABAD: The head of Pakistan’s parliamentary delegation constituted to visit key world capitals and present Islamabad’s stance on last month’s military standoff with India said on Tuesday New Delhi was emulating Israel’s belligerence in the region, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to be guided by “the worst examples possible.”
The remarks were made by former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari during a media interaction at the United Nations Correspondents Association.
The Pakistani delegation arrived in New York on Monday as part of Islamabad’s diplomatic outreach amid heightened tensions with India, despite a recent ceasefire. It has held a series of meetings with top international diplomats, urging the global community to help the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors enter a comprehensive dialogue to peacefully resolve their differences.
Responding to a question during the news conference, Bhutto-Zardari drew parallels between the Israeli settler program in the West Bank and India’s post-2019 demographic changes in Kashmir, describing Modi as a “poor copy” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“As far as India being inspired by the Israeli government, unfortunately, it’s being inspired in all the wrong ways,” he said. “Its conduct outside of international law, its violation of international governance, the United Nations Charter, the arrogance with which it thought it could get away with this — that you can just scream terrorism and it justifies that you can attack any Muslim country at whim.”
“In short, it’s based on this building of precedents that we’ve seen over time — be it in the context of the Iraq War, and obviously the actions within Gaza recently have inspired some of the actions by the Indian government,” he added. “But Mr. Modi is sort of the Temu version of Netanyahu — sort of a poor copy — and we call upon the Indian government to not be inspired by the worst examples possible.”
Bhutto-Zardari, who chairs the Pakistan Peoples Party, called on both India and Pakistan to reclaim their shared heritage as heirs of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and reflect that in their conduct.
“One of the most incredible things about the Indus Valley Civilization is that with all the archaeology that’s gone on, we’ve not found a single weapon at all,” he said. “They had great advancements — urban planning, agriculture, water distribution, even sewage systems — but not a single weapon.”
“How far we’ve come from our roots,” he continued. “That grand Indus Valley Civilization, which didn’t have a single weapon, is now armed to the teeth.”
The former Pakistani foreign minister said Modi could either pursue peace and become a true heir of the Indus Valley Civilization or continue down a path of conflict.
“Mr. Modi started off as being perceived as the Butcher of Gujarat,” he said, referring to the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in the Indian state where Modi was chief minister. “He went on to become the Butcher of Kashmir, and he aspires to be the Butcher of the Indus Valley Civilization with his assault on the Indus Waters Treaty.”
The Pakistani delegation also met with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at UN Headquarters on Tuesday.
Bhutto-Zardari delivered a letter from Pakistan’s prime minister and briefed the UN chief on Islamabad’s position in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on tourists, which New Delhi had blamed on Pakistan.
He rejected India’s allegations against Islamabad as “baseless and premature,” and criticized its unilateral military actions, civilian casualties and the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty — calling these actions a dangerous escalation with potentially destabilizing consequences for the region.
Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan remained committed to international law and the principles of the UN Charter, while warning against what he called India’s attempt to establish a “dangerous new normal” marked by unilateralism and the use of force in a nuclear environment.
According to an official readout, Secretary-General Guterres assured the delegation the UN would fully engage in promoting peace and stability in South Asia and continue to support all efforts to reduce tensions and resolve disputes.
