Former Supreme Court judge Justice Ali Baqar Najafi has issued a detailed additional note on the May 2025 rejection of the appeal filed by convict Zahir Jafar against his death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case.
The judge, now part of the newly constituted Federal Constitutional Court, has strongly criticized "living relationships" - in an apparent reference to live-in relationships - and urged the youth to learn from the tragedy.
SC upholds death sentence in murder charges
In May this year, the apex court maintained its earlier decision to uphold Zahir Jafar’s death penalty under the murder provisions. Officials confirmed that all evidence against the convict remains part of the judicial record and supports the original punishment.
While the court retained the death sentence for murder, it previously commuted Jafar's death sentence in the rape charge to life imprisonment. Additionally, his 10-year sentence in the kidnapping case was reduced to one year, and the order to pay compensation to Noor Mukadam’s family was upheld.
Also Read: Noor Mukadam case: SC upholds Zahir Jaffer’s death sentence
Zahir Jafar has since filed a review petition challenging the Supreme Court’s latest ruling.
Justice Najafi issues additional note
Justice Najafi on Wednesday released a comprehensive seven-page note explaining his additional reasoning behind agreeing with the majority decision.
He wrote that the concept of a "living" relationship between a boy and a girl is “not only a social evil but also against Islamic teachings.” He warned that such a lifestyle poses a serious danger to societal values and religious principles.
According to Justice Najafi’s note, the Noor Mukadam case stemmed from the spread of "living relationships" within the country’s upper society. He described such relationships as a violation of Sharia law and “a rebellion against Allah.”
The judge emphasized that today’s young generation must understand the far-reaching implications of these relationships, calling the case a painful but powerful lesson.
On May 20, the Supreme Court had upheld Zahir Jafar's death sentence for the 2021 gruesome murder of Noor Mukadam dismissing his appeal.
Also Read: Noor Mukadam case: Adiala Jail seeks medical board for Zahir Jaffer ahead of clemency plea
Noor, aged 27 years, was found murdered at Zahir’s Islamabad residence in July 2021, with the investigation revealing that she was tortured before being beheaded.
The trial court sentenced Zahir to death, a verdict later upheld by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which also converted his jail term for rape charges into a second death penalty.
A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Hashim Kakar and comprising Justices Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Ali Baqar Najafi heard the case. Barrister Salman Safdar appeared as Zahir’s counsel, while Advocate Shah Khawar represented Noor’s father, retired diplomat Shaukat Mukadam. Safdar concluded his arguments on Tuesday, with Khawar beginning his.
Zahir’s counsel argued that all evidence must be “beyond doubt” and contended that the court could not consider anything beyond the CCTV footage presented. He also noted that the prosecution’s footage played at the Islamabad High Court had technical issues and could not be properly viewed.
