The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the review petition submitted by Zahir Jaffer, affirming its previous ruling that sentenced him to death in the widely publicized Noor Mukadam murder case. A three-judge bench consisting of Justice Hashim Khan Kakar, Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim presided over the hearing.
This case had drawn significant public attention since 2021 when Jaffer was accused of violently attacking and killing Noor Mukadam, daughter of a former ambassador. On the night of the incident, Mukadam attempted to flee but was prevented by two members of Jaffer’s household staff. The assailant then inflicted severe torture using a knuckleduster and ultimately beheaded her with a sharp-edged weapon.
Jaffer was initially sentenced to death by the trial court, a decision later upheld by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The IHC also converted his sentence for rape charges into a second death penalty. The review petition challenged the Supreme Court’s May 20, 2025 verdict that confirmed the death sentence.
During the hearing, Advocate Khawaja Haris represented Jaffer, while Shah Khawar appeared for the respondents. After arguments from both sides, the bench reserved its decision and subsequently announced the rejection of the review plea.
Noor Mukadam, aged 27, was found murdered at a private residence in Islamabad’s Sector F-7/4 in July 2021. Jaffer was arrested at the crime scene, and the victim’s father lodged an FIR the same day, describing the brutal killing and beheading with a sharp weapon, which shocked the nation.
In February 2022, the district and sessions court sentenced Jaffer to death, along with 25 years imprisonment with hard labour and a fine of Rs200,000. The trial spanned over four months. Two domestic staff members, Iftikhar and Jameel, received 10-year prison terms each, while other accused, including Jaffer’s parents and several TherapyWorks employees, were acquitted.
In March 2023, the IHC upheld Jaffer’s death sentence and converted his 25-year imprisonment into an additional death penalty following appeals against the initial verdict. An appeal against the IHC ruling was filed in the Supreme Court in April 2024, which ultimately upheld the death sentence in May 2025.
