Justice Najafi Issues Additional Note in Supreme Court Ruling
Justice Ali Baqar Najafi has urged Pakistan’s youth to recognize the “horrible consequences” revealed by the Noor Mukadam murder case, calling the tragedy a wake-up call for society to address rising social vices.
In an additional note accompanying the Supreme Court’s judgment dismissing convicted killer Zahir Jaffer’s appeal, Justice Najafi linked the brutal murder to what he described as an increasing trend of unmarried cohabitation among upper-class circles. The judge, now serving on the Federal Constitutional Court, characterized this trend as a vice gaining traction in privileged society.
Call for State Intervention and Social Reform
Justice Najafi emphasized that the state must play a more active role in educating young people about the risks associated with cohabitation, drug abuse, and related social issues. He stressed that the Mukadam case should prompt serious reflection on moral and social responsibilities.
“The young generation must note its horrible consequences such as in the present case,” Justice Najafi wrote in his seven-page additional note. He described unmarried cohabitation as defying both state law and Islamic injunctions, amounting to “a direct revolt against Almighty Allah.”
Court Upholds Death Sentence
The Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, had rejected Jaffer’s appeal on May 20, 2025. The court upheld his death sentence for murder but converted the death penalty awarded under rape charges to life imprisonment.
Justice Najafi, who served on the three-member bench that heard the case in May, noted that minor discrepancies in the prosecution’s case—including timing issues and absence of fingerprints on the murder weapon—did not weaken the evidence against Jaffer. The judge emphasized that the prosecution had proved guilt beyond reasonable doubt through consistent circumstantial evidence.
Case Background
The brutal murder of 27-year-old Noor Mukadam in July 2021 shocked the nation. She was found beheaded at a private residence in Islamabad’s Sector F-7/4. Jaffer was arrested at the crime scene, and an FIR was filed by the victim’s father the same day.
The legal proceedings saw:
- February 2022: District court sentences Jaffer to death with 25-year prison term
- March 2023: Islamabad High Court upholds death sentence
- May 2025: Supreme Court confirms death penalty for murder
Two domestic staff members received 10-year prison sentences, while other co-accused, including Jaffer’s parents, were acquitted.
Justice Najafi concluded that the case represents a critical moment for social reformers to address what he sees as deteriorating moral standards in certain segments of society.
