Zahir Jaffer’s Death Sentence Appeal Nears Conclusion in Supreme Court

Islamabad, May 14, 2025 — In a key development in the Noor Mukadam murder case, Zahir Jaffer’s lawyer completed his arguments in the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The bench signaled that it may announce a verdict soon. The gruesome 2021 murder of 27-year-old Noor Mukadam has gripped the nation and continues to spark widespread attention.

A three-member bench — headed by Justice Hashim Kakar and including Justices Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Ali Baqar Najafi — heard the appeal. Zahir’s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, claimed the prosecution failed to meet the legal standard of “beyond doubt.” He also pointed out that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) did not play crucial CCTV footage submitted during the hearing, raising concerns over key evidence handling.

Advocate Shah Khawar, who represents Noor’s father, former diplomat Shaukat Mukadam, started his arguments following Safdar’s conclusion. The court also listened to brief arguments from the lawyer of co-accused Mohammad Iftikhar and Jan Mohammad — the watchman and gardener — who received 10-year sentences for stopping Noor from escaping.

Justice Najafi remarked that Noor’s murder might not have occurred if the staff had not restrained her. When the co-accused’s lawyer insisted they committed no crime besides being present at the house, Justice Kakar questioned why they acted beyond their job descriptions.

The bench also considered Shaukat Mukadam’s appeal challenging the acquittal of Zahir’s father, Zakir Jaffer. Judges confirmed they would continue reviewing other appeals connected to the case.

Police arrested Zahir Jaffer on July 20, 2021, after discovering Noor’s beheaded body at his residence in Islamabad’s Sector F-7/4. A sessions court sentenced him to death in February 2022. In March 2023, the IHC upheld the death sentence and converted Zahir’s 25-year rape sentence into another death penalty.

Zahir Jaffer filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, claiming the lower courts misjudged the evidence and ignored legal flaws. As the Noor Mukadam murder case heads toward a final judgment, the public continues to demand justice for one of the most disturbing crimes in recent memory.