Supreme Court says Zahir Jaffer failed to present evidence warranting a review of the earlier judgment and finds no basis for reducing his death sentence.
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has rejected a review petition filed by convicted murderer Zahir Jaffer against his death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case, ruling that he failed to present any evidence or legal grounds that could justify revisiting the court’s earlier decision.
Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim authored the 12-page written judgment, which said the record established that Jaffer had committed an extremely serious crime and that his offence did not warrant any reduction in punishment.
According to the judgment, Jaffer had sought to have his death sentence converted into life imprisonment on the grounds that he was mentally ill. However, the court found that he had not produced evidence sufficient to support a review of the earlier verdict.
The Supreme Court also stressed that the scope of judicial review is extremely limited. A review petition cannot be treated as an appeal, the judgment stated, meaning the court cannot reconsider a case simply because a convicted person remains dissatisfied with the original decision.
The written judgment further addressed the broader issue of violence against women, observing that subjecting women to violence and insecurity is contrary to both religious principles and worldly laws. It emphasized that Islam provides women with significant protection and respect.
Noor Mukadam was murdered in Islamabad in 2021. A trial court subsequently sentenced Zahir Jaffer to death for her murder and rape. The Islamabad High Court later upheld the death sentence, after which the Supreme Court also maintained the punishment.
The latest ruling closes another major legal avenue for Jaffer to challenge the death penalty. The court’s observations also reinforce the principle that review proceedings are not an opportunity to reopen a case or seek a fresh assessment of evidence already considered by the courts.
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