PEMRA prohibits airing of CCTV footage of Noor Mukadam & Zahir Jaffer

ISLAMABAD, Nov 14 (SABAH): The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Sunday prohibited all satellite TV channels from airing a leaked CCTV footage showing Noor Mukadam’s unsuccessful attempt to escape the premises of the house where she was eventually murdered.

Noor Mukadam, 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 Zakir 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 Oct 20.

According to the notification issued by PEMRA on Sunday, 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.

The notification has been issued by Director General Operation-Broadcast Media Muhammad Tariq. The copy of the notification has been sent to all the concerned officials. 

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.