Supreme Court to Hear Zahir Jaffer Review Petition in Noor Mukadam Case

ISLAMABAD, September 12, 2025 — The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear the review petition filed by Zahir Jaffer against his death sentence for the murder of Noor Mukadam.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Hashim Khan Kakar, will take up the case, which marks Jaffer’s final chance to avoid execution. Earlier this year, the apex court upheld his death penalty for Noor’s murder but reduced his sentence for rape to life imprisonment.

Noor, the daughter of former diplomat Shaukat Mukadam, was brutally killed in July 2021 in Islamabad, sparking nationwide outrage. The case became a rallying point for women’s rights activists demanding stronger protections against gender-based violence.

Human rights groups say the hearing will test Pakistan’s justice system and could set a precedent for how gender-based violence cases are handled in the future. Noor’s family has expressed confidence that the death sentence will stand.