She was ruthlessly beheaded by one of her close childhood friend in Islamabad’s posh area.

Noor tried to run away by jumping off the terrace while screaming, but Zahir pulled her back by her hair and dragged her back in.

Why did Zahir Jaffer behead Noor Muqaddam? The question is doing rounds in every social gathering. The topic has become the talk of the town. A First Information Report has been filed in Islamabad’s Kohsar Police Station. However, there are several other versions appearing on social media. The report claims that Noor went to Zahir’s house on Monday, 19th July wherefrom she called her parents. She informed about her travel plans for Lahore, wherefrom she will return in 2 to 3 days. Unfortunately, the parents received a phone call from police that her daughter has been killed on the very next evening on 20th July 2021.

In the meantime, Zahir had also called girl’s parents on Monday. He claimed that Noor wasn’t with him. This call reflects that it was more of a formal relationship between Noor and Zahir. A number of observers believe that they might be planning to get married. Instead, the incident shattered Noor’s dreams of a long, loving life.

Yet, the social media is ablaze with several stories regarding Noor and Zahir. There are several false claims going on. One of the social media posts from Tajassus Blog however sums up the story from one of the neighborhood guys.

Zahir was violent from young age

It shares that the victim and the murderer both share the same area and social circle of Islamabad. He claims to have cross verified the facts from multiple places and have viewed some damning evidence. Zahir Jaffer is the son of a Karachi based tycoon known for many construction projects, military procurements and close ties to the establishment. His company AJCL is well known, not only for its massive projects, but also the extravagant dinners it threw. Zahir had access to some of the best education and facilities that money could afford.

However, he started exhibiting violent tendencies at a young age. Several years ago, he was put in a psychiatric ward to control his behavior and he started undergoing therapy at Therapy Works (a mental therapy clinic in Islamabad). Apart from mental problems, he also had a serious drug abuse problem and was addicted to meth. Whilst undergoing therapy, he opted to start a mental health certification course, which he successfully completed in 2015. Thereafter, he started counselling people on mental health. Apart from giving therapy to people privately, he also championed mental health by conducting mental health awareness sessions in famous schools like Beaconhouse.

He was asked to discontinue working at therapy works by the clinic after his continued breakdowns due to drug abuse. However, he remained in touch with the senior members there and so did his parents to keep a check on his mental health. Zahir started dating Noor around 2-3 years ago, who was also a beautiful, smart and educated girl. He also claims that she was burka (veil) wearing girl and removed it after Zahir’s insistence. Their parents knew each other and were aware that they were in a relationship. People who knew the couple say that they had chemistry but he was generally abusive and sometimes violent with her. Noor had the keys to Zahir’s house and visited him regularly, sometimes to stay over.

Why did Noor get uncomfortable?

However, the author claims that Noor had become increasingly uncomfortable with Zahir in the last few months. It was either due to his abuse or because she was becoming increasingly religious and their lifestyles did not match. She told her parents a few days ago that she was going to Lahore to attend a religious mass (Ijtama) but instead went over to stay with Zahir. When her parents could not get in touch with her for a whole day, they started panicking and tried locating her. This account also states what exactly took place on that fateful night. On Tuesday the 20th July, Zahir became extremely violent with Noor who was with him in his house in F-7/4.

She tried to run away by attempting to jump off the first floor terrace whilst screaming, but Zahir pulled her back by her hair and dragged her back in. The guards of his house saw this incident. However, they called Zahir’s parent instead of calling the police. The parents also called Therapy Works and told them that it was their responsibility to handle this situation. It claims that Therapy Works sent a van with five people to his house to address the issue. Those five people called on Zahir, who appeared on the terrace to talk. They made up fanciful stories to try to get him to come out.

Why did Zahir kick Noor’s head after beheading her?

Meanwhile, there were five mutual friends of Zahir and Noor who had been trying to talk to Zahir outside the house. But, he wasn’t listening to them. Later, Zahir asked them to give him one hour to meet them and explain himself. During that time, he shot and killed Noor and beheaded her with a knife. The five Therapy Works staff members in the meantime barged into the house and snuck up the stairs. They saw Zahir covered in blood while kicking around Noor’s head on a bloody floor. It shows that he went so angry that he was playing with her head after beheading her. Isn’t it a psychopathic behavior?

Her brutally beaten body was on one side of the room. At this point, one of the Therapy Works employees attacked Zahir to try to take him down, but Zahir was wearing knuckle dusters and proceeded to beat up that employee with the intent to kill him. The employee suffered damage to several internal organs and he is currently in the PIMS hospital undergoing critical care and has had to undergo an open abdomen surgery. The other two called the police and then proceeded to save their friend by attacking Zahir and beating him down. They then tied him up with clothes they had found in the room.

Zahir held her hostage

The police eventually arrived, saw the whole crime scene and apprehended the tied up criminal. It is said that during that time Zahir was fully aware of his actions and said that he did what he did because Noor deserved it. He claimed that she was cheating on him. Zahir also admitted that Noor had come only for one day but he had held her hostage and had made her call her parents on gunpoint. This was the point when he forced her to tell them that she is going to Lahore for an ijtama.

He was continuously threatening everyone with his connections with high ups. However, when he was taken to the police station, Zahir started babbling in gibberish so as to suggest that he is too mentally impaired to even talk normally. Witnesses believe he started babbling and behaving like being mentally impaired on purpose.

It also speaks of the claims that Zahir had already brought tickets to fly to the USA later. So far Zahir is in police custody and the courts have allowed for further investigation.

Although, it’s too early to exact carve out: Why did Zahir Jaffer behead Noor Muqaddam? Yet, the appalling murder calls for most stringent actions on part of the federal government against the accused.