Pakistan’s Supreme Court has rejected the review petition filed by convicted murderer Zahir Jaffer in the high-profile murder case of Noor Mukadam, upholding his death sentence and bringing another chapter of the lengthy legal proceedings to a close.
Read More: SC upholds death sentence for Zahir Jaffer in Noor Mukadam case
A three-member bench comprising Justice Hashim Kakar, Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim heard the case and announced the verdict after completing proceedings on the review petition.
During the hearing, counsel for the convict acknowledged the brutality of the crime and expressed sympathy for Noor Mukadam’s family. The lawyer stated that the central argument of the review petition concerned the mental condition of the accused at the time of the incident and during the trial proceedings.
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The defence argued that Zahir Jaffer was not in a sound mental state when the crime occurred. However, the lawyer did not dispute his client’s involvement in the murder, clarifying before the court that the defence was not claiming the accused was innocent of the killing.
After hearing the arguments, the Supreme Court dismissed the review petition and maintained the death sentence previously awarded to the convict. The ruling effectively upholds earlier decisions by lower courts and reinforces the finality of the punishment imposed in the case.
The murder of Noor Mukadam in Islamabad in 2021 shocked the nation and sparked widespread public outrage, leading to calls for justice and stronger protections for women. The case remained under close public scrutiny throughout the investigation, trial and subsequent appeals.
Read More: Noor Mukaddam murder case: SC grants bail to Zahir Jaffar’s mother
The Supreme Court’s decision marks a significant development in one of Pakistan’s most closely followed criminal cases. Legal experts say the dismissal of the review petition leaves limited judicial avenues available to the convict, while the verdict has been welcomed by many who viewed the case as a test of the country’s criminal justice system.