On Thursday, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Zahir Jaffer in the high-profile murder case of Noor Mukadam, while partially altering other charges in its final verdict.
Jaffer, the son of a prominent industrialist, brutally murdered 27-year-old Noor Mukadam in his Islamabad home in July 2021. He tortured her with a knuckleduster and ultimately beheaded her with a sharp weapon. A three-member bench, led by Justice Hashim Kakar and including Justices Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Ali Baqar Najafi, announced the decision.
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The ruling is seen as a pivotal moment in the case, which sparked national outrage and ignited discussions around women’s safety and the efficacy of the justice system.
The apex court dismissed Jaffer’s appeal against his conviction under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (premeditated murder), thereby upholding both his death sentence and the imposed fine. However, the court converted his death sentence under Section 376 (rape) to life imprisonment and overturned his conviction for kidnapping, nullifying the sentence under that charge.
Regarding the co-accused — Jaffer’s household staff — the court reduced the sentences of his watchman and gardener, ruling that their time already served was sufficient.
Noor, the daughter of a former ambassador, had tried several times to escape on the night of her murder but was blocked by the household staff.
“This verdict is a victory for all the women of Pakistan,” said Shafaq Zaidi, a childhood friend of Noor’s, while speaking to AFP outside the court. “It proves that our legal system can deliver justice and should empower more women to trust the judicial process. This was our last hope, and it’s hard to put into words what this outcome means to us.”
Proceedings in Court
During the hearing, Zahir’s counsel, Salman Safdar, began by arguing that the prosecution’s case primarily relied on CCTV footage retrieved from the DVR system. He emphasized that the evidence must be beyond reasonable doubt and argued that the court could not consider material beyond the footage presented.
He further stated that the footage had failed to play in the Islamabad High Court.
Justice Kakar responded by pointing out the inconsistency in the defence’s position, saying, “You have already accepted the CCTV footage you are now contesting.” He noted that the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory had confirmed the footage was untampered. “There is no human intervention in this — the camera recorded everything directly,” he added.
After Safdar concluded, the counsel for the co-accused watchman and gardener presented their arguments. The two had been sentenced to 10 years in prison for preventing Noor from leaving the premises. Justice Najafi remarked, “Had they not stopped her, the outcome might have been different.”
The defence maintained that beyond being present at the scene, the staff had not committed any further offences.
Shah Khawar, the counsel representing Noor, then presented his submissions. Justice Kakar noted that many facts were undisputed and did not require further debate. Justice Najafi inquired about Noor’s mobile phone; Khawar replied that while her call records were available, the device itself had not been recovered.
Background of the Case
Noor Mukadam was found murdered at a residence in Islamabad’s Sector F-7/4. Zahir Jaffer, the main suspect, was arrested at the scene, and an FIR was registered the same day by Noor’s father. The FIR detailed that Noor was “beheaded after being killed with a sharp weapon.”
In February 2022, a district and sessions court sentenced Jaffer to death, along with 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs200,000, following a trial that lasted over four months.
Two domestic staff members, Iftikhar and Jameel, received 10-year sentences, while other co-accused — including Jaffer’s parents and employees of TherapyWorks — were acquitted.
In March 2023, the Islamabad High Court not only upheld Jaffer’s death sentence but also replaced the 25-year prison term with an additional death sentence. Jaffer’s appeal against this decision was submitted to the Supreme Court in April 2023.