SC Upholds Death Sentence of Zahir in Noor Mukadam Case

News Desk

Islamabad: The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence awarded to Zahir Jaffer in the Noor Mukadam murder case, ruling against a review petition that sought to challenge his conviction and have his mental condition reassessed.

A three-member bench comprising Justice Hashim Kakar, Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim also rejected the defence request for a medical board to determine whether Jaffer was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the 2021 murder.

During the hearing, defence counsel Khawaja Haris said the killing of Noor Mukadam was a wrong committed against the victim, but argued that the central issue before the court was Jaffer’s mental condition when the crime took place.

The defence acknowledged Jaffer’s presence at the scene and did not dispute that the murder occurred. However, it maintained that he had a history of mental health problems, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression.

Haris argued that medical records showed Jaffer had received treatment and remained on medication during his incarceration. According to the defence, such conditions could affect a person’s behaviour, judgment and ability to control aggressive impulses.

The bench questioned whether there was reliable evidence establishing that Jaffer was suffering from the alleged conditions at the time of the murder.

The judges asked when his treatment had begun and sought details of his medical history, including records from his childhood and documentation from qualified medical professionals.

The defence also submitted a letter purportedly issued by a Harley Street clinic in London. The judges questioned the document’s timing and authenticity, particularly because it was dated after the murder.

The defence also raised questions about the absence of a drug test for Jaffer, despite toxicology testing having been conducted on Noor Mukadam.

Arguments concerning possible media pressure or influence were rejected by the bench, with Justice Hashim Kakar stressing that judicial decisions are not determined by newspaper reports or social media narratives.

The judge referred to previous judgments, including the Sunni Masih case, to emphasise that courts decide cases independently of external commentary.

The Supreme Court further noted that the request for a medical board had already been rejected by the trial court and that the decision had not been challenged before the High Court.

The bench therefore declined to reopen the issue at the review stage.

After hearing the arguments, the court dismissed the review petition and maintained Jaffer’s death sentence. The request for a fresh medical assessment through a medical board was also rejected.

Advocate Shah Khawar represented Noor Mukadam’s family during the proceedings.

Noor Mukadam was murdered in Islamabad in July 2021. The case generated widespread public outrage and became one of Pakistan’s most closely watched criminal proceedings.

The Supreme Court’s latest decision leaves the death sentence intact after the defence failed to establish grounds for reviewing the conviction or reopening the question of Jaffer’s mental condition.