SC upholds death sentence of Zahir Jaffar in Noor Mukadam case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan, in its short order, on Tuesday upheld the death sentence of Zahir Jaffar in the Noor Mukadam case; reduced sentences of  Mali and Chowkidar.

The decision was announced by a three-member bench led by Justice Hashim Kakar, including Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi. The verdict came upon the completion of final arguments by the defence and prosecution.

Zahir Jaffar was presented by Barrister Salman Safdar, and Advocate Shah Khawar appeared on behalf of the victim’s father, Shaukat Muqaddam, a former Pakistani diplomat.

Barrister Salman Safdar argued that the proofs (CCTV footage and a DVR device) on which the prosecution relied must be scrutinised thoroughly for admissibility and authenticity.

The court cannot go beyond the video submitted as evidence,” the lawyer stated, adding that the video footage shown before the Islamabad High Court did not operate properly and was replaced with a USB.

After Salman Safdar’s arguments, the counsels for co-accused Iftikhar (watchman) and Jan Muhammad (gardener) presented their arguments, both were accused of helping Zahir in the murder of Noor Muqaddam.

The lawyer argued that his clients were merely present at the crime scene and did not help convict.

However, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi remarked that, “Had they not stopped the victim, the situation could have been entirely different.” Justice Hashim Kakar added, “There was no obligation for the staff to act beyond their professional duties or salaries.”

Following the completion of the argument from all sides, the Supreme Court announced its order.

The Apex court nullified the Islamabad High Court’s decision on rape, upholds trial court’s decision. The death sentence for rape is now commuted to life imprisonment.

The sentence for kidnapping was reduced from ten years to one year of rigorous imprisonment. The years spent by Mali Jan Muhammad and Chowkidar Iftikhar are enough, said the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court gave a short verdict after a two-day hearing

Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim said, “The state should tell the youth about the disasters of ‘live-in relationships’, Justice Kakar said, “Inform the young generation about ice addiction, don’t you know how easily ice is available in universities? Can all this happen without the consent of the area SHO? ”

The Case

Twenty-seven-year-old Noor was found dead at the residence of the prime suspect, Zahir Jaffer, in Islamabad’s upscale Sector F-7/4 on July 20, 2021.

After a first information report (FIR) was registered under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on behalf of Noor’s father, Zahir was arrested with a murder weapon and bloodstained clothes from the crime scene on the day of the killing.

According to Noor’s father, former Pakistani ambassador Shaukat Ali Mukadam, Zahir killed Noor with a sharp instrument and severed her head.

In February 2022, a district and sessions court sentenced Jaffer to death, as well as a 25-year jail sentence with hard labor and a Rs200,000 fine, bringing the four-month-long trial to an end.

In March 2023, the Islamabad High Court maintained Jaffer’s death sentence and increased his 25-year term to an extra death penalty in response to pleas made against the jaffars’ sentencing.