Islamabad, May 20, 2025: In a landmark ruling that reinforces the justice system’s stance against gender-based violence, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has upheld the death sentence of Zahir Jaffer in the brutal Noor Mukadam murder case, bringing a significant chapter of the high-profile trial to a close.
Justice Hashim Kakar, heading a three-member bench, delivered the verdict on Tuesday, confirming the trial court’s decision regarding Jaffer’s execution under sections related to Noor’s murder.
While the court sustained the original verdict, it also adjusted his 25-year imprisonment under rape charges to life imprisonment, reflecting a nuanced but firm stance on the crime’s gravity.
The court proceedings were intense as Jaffer’s lead counsel, Advocate Salman Safdar, concluded his final arguments challenging the conviction.
He claimed the prosecution’s case primarily relied on CCTV footage and digital evidence, asserting that “proof beyond reasonable doubt” was lacking.
However, the court rejected the appeal, citing the overwhelming nature of evidence presented earlier.
Noor Mukadam, a 27-year-old daughter of former diplomat Shaukat Mukadam, was found brutally murdered in Jaffer’s Islamabad residence in July 2021.
Investigations revealed that Noor was not only tortured but also beheaded — a fact that horrified the nation and sparked widespread outrage.
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The case became a grim symbol of rising violence against women in Pakistan, igniting calls for judicial reform and stronger enforcement of women’s rights.
The Islamabad High Court had previously upheld the trial court’s decision, even enhancing Jaffer’s sentence by issuing a second death penalty related to the rape charge.
The apex court’s ruling now solidifies the judicial consensus.
The bench — comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi alongside Justice Kakar — also heard appeals from Jaffer’s domestic staff, including the watchman and gardener, both sentenced to 10 years for preventing Noor from escaping.
Their counsel argued they were merely performing their duties and committed no additional offense. Yet Justice Najafi firmly observed, “Had the victim not been stopped, the outcome could have been different.”
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Justice Kakar questioned the necessity of the staff exceeding their professional responsibilities: “Why was there a need to do more than what their job required?” This raises broader ethical questions about complicity in violent crimes and the responsibilities of bystanders.
Meanwhile, Advocate Shah Khawar, representing Noor’s family, continued his submissions before the bench postponed proceedings until later in the afternoon.
This verdict marks a significant moment in Pakistan’s legal history — reinforcing that heinous crimes against women will not go unpunished. Legal experts consider it a step forward in setting legal precedents for gender-based violence cases.
