Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, now a judge at the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), has remarked that the Noor Mukadam murder case stemmed from what he termed a growing “vice” in society—live-in relationships.
Noor, 27, was murdered at the Islamabad home of Zahir Zakir Jaffer in July 2021. In May, the Supreme Court upheld Zahir’s death sentence. When hearing his review petition last month, Justice Najafi asked defence counsel to respond after reviewing an additional note, which has now been published on the Supreme Court’s website.
Noor Muqadam case:
Justice Ali Baqar Najfi in his dissenting note has said that the present case is a direct result of a vice spreading in the upper society which we know as
“living relationship” in which societal compulsions are ignored so as to defy not only the law of the land… pic.twitter.com/fqLkH6UYmv— Hasnaat Malik (@HasnaatMalik) November 26, 2025
In his note, Justice Najafi reaffirmed the sentence, stating the case resulted from “a vice spreading in upper society known as ‘living relationship’,” which, he argued, ignores cultural norms and violates both national and Sharia law. He described such relationships as a “direct revolt against Almighty Allah” and urged the younger generation to reflect on their “horrific consequences”.
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He added that there were no mitigating factors in the case, dismissing defence concerns over minor procedural discrepancies. According to him, delays in filing the FIR and postmortem, and the absence of fingerprints on the murder weapon—though DNA matched—did not undermine the prosecution’s evidence.
Justice Najafi referenced CCTV footage showing Noor escaping from a window before being intercepted and ultimately assaulted, and concluded that circumstantial evidence clearly tied Zahir to the crime. He rejected the defence’s claims of drug use and insanity, noting no medical evidence supported either assertion.
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Here’s how social media users reacted
In his additional note in Noor Muqadam case, Justice Ali Baqarah Najafi chose to engage in victim blaming and shaming the victim.
For displaying lack of character, he has been awarded a seat on the Federal Constitutional Bench.
Such is the state of this country. pic.twitter.com/zsefEn3XRW
— SocialPariah (@Non_graata) November 27, 2025
Absolutely shocked and appalled by Justice Baqar Najafi’s observation in the note pertaining to Noor Mukadam case.
Judges, especially those serving in superior courts must refrain from moral commentary and must never indulge in language that ostracises or implicitly blames a… pic.twitter.com/XWkrdjypLz
— Barrister Maleeka Bokhari (@MalBokhari) November 26, 2025
Ali Baqar Najafi J’s note in the Noor Mukadam case is appalling. He suggests the murder stemmed from the “vice” of “living relationships”.
A judge must uphold the law, not deliver moral lectures in a case where a woman was brutally murdered.
Replug:https://t.co/FPpjOrqMp7
— Rida Hosain (@RidaHosain) November 26, 2025
The Noor Mukadam case was a direct consequence of the spread of live-in relationships in upper society. Live-in relationships are a violation of both the law of the land and Shariah, and constitute rebellion against Allah.
Justice Ali Baqar Najfi stated in his additional note. pic.twitter.com/6wEjt8hQl1
— Imran Azam (@imranazamspeaks) November 27, 2025
For a judge to imply that a live-in relationship gives a man the license to behead a woman is revolting. To inflict that logic on Noor Mukadam’s family, four years after her murder, and on every woman in this country, is even worse.https://t.co/L7qD9PsCDW
— Alifya Sohail (@AlifyaSohail) November 26, 2025
I’m deeply disturbed to read Justice Najafi’s victim-blaming note on Noor Mukadam, lecturing us on the ‘vices of live-in relations’. She is no longer alive to defend herself against such character assassination &..
I wish His Lordship could focus on giving justice to rape &…
— Muneeb Qadir (@muneebqadirmmq) November 26, 2025
These morally corrupt men sit in positions of power and lecture the young people of this country on how to lead their lives (all the while enabling their own young ones to take advantage of their powerful parents’ privilege/perks).
The judge should have confined himself to the… https://t.co/Ml0bET3CFd
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) November 27, 2025