The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of Zahir Jaffer’s appeal against the death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case until May 19, with the mutual consent of both parties.
The three-member bench was headed by Justice Hashim Kakar, with Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi as other members. Zahir Jaffer’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, requested more time to submit additional documents, to which Justice Hashim Kakar expressed displeasure.
Justice Kakar remarked, “Why should there be an adjournment when the lawyer is present in court?” He strongly criticized delaying tactics in the judicial system, stating that in our courts, cases are only adjourned when a judge or lawyer passes away.
He also expressed concern that if a death row convict is released after decades, it erodes public trust in the judicial system. He added, “If an accused is acquitted after many years, they will throw the file in the court’s face, and no one will trust this system.”
Despite his reservations, the bench agreed to adjourn the hearing and directed both parties to come fully prepared for the next hearing. Justice Najafi said that the prosecution would file its formal response after receiving the written arguments from the defense.
Noor Mukadam, aged 27, was brutally murdered on July 20, 2021, in Islamabad. Zahir Jaffer was arrested from the crime scene and charged with murder. According to the FIR, Noor was killed with a sharp-edged weapon, and her head was severed, which shocked the entire nation.
In February 2022, the sessions court sentenced Zahir Jaffer to death, along with 25 years in prison and a fine. Two domestic workers were also sentenced in this case, while other co-accused, including Zahir’s parents and the staff of Therapy Works, were acquitted.
