Review Petition Dismissed by Supreme Court
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a review petition filed by Zahir Jaffer and maintained its earlier verdict upholding his death sentence in the high-profile Noor Mukadam murder case. Moreover, the ruling reaffirmed the court’s earlier judgment, closing another legal challenge in one of Pakistan’s most widely followed criminal cases.
Case Background and Judicial Proceedings
Noor Mukadam, aged 27, was murdered at Zahir Jaffer’s Islamabad residence in July 2021 after being subjected to torture and beheading, according to prosecution findings. Subsequently, a trial court sentenced Zahir Jaffer to death in February 2022, and both the Islamabad High Court and the Supreme Court previously upheld the conviction. A three-member bench, including Justices Hashim Khan Kakar, Salahuddin Pahnwar, and Ishtiaq Ibrahim, heard the review petition and announced the verdict after arguments from both sides.
Legal Arguments and Defense Position
Meanwhile, defense counsel Khawaja Haris argued that issues related to Zahir Jaffer’s mental capacity had not been adequately addressed during earlier proceedings. Additionally, the petition claimed there was insufficient evidence supporting the rape charge, while requesting reconsideration under Article 188 of the Constitution. However, prosecutors and the victim’s legal representatives opposed the arguments and urged the court to maintain its previous decision.
Verdict and Remaining Legal Options
Following the ruling, the death sentence remains intact, although previous judgments had commuted other related charges, including reducing a rape conviction to life imprisonment and acquitting him of kidnapping while maintaining a one-year sentence for wrongful confinement. Furthermore, legal experts note that a presidential pardon under Article 45 of the Constitution remains a possible but rare post-verdict option.
Ultimately, the decision marks another decisive step in the conclusion of a landmark case that has drawn national attention and intensified debates on criminal justice in Pakistan.
