The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of Zahir Jaffer’s appeal against his death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case to May 19, following mutual agreement between the legal teams.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Hashim Kakar, with Justices Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Ali Baqar Najafi, presided over the proceedings. Defence lawyer Salman Safdar sought a postponement to submit additional documents, prompting Justice Kakar to voice frustration over the delay.
“Why should we allow an adjournment when the lawyer is already present?” Justice Kakar asked, criticising habitual delays in the judicial process. He noted that unnecessary adjournments weaken the system, remarking, “In our court, cases are only delayed if the judge or lawyer dies.”
He questioned the implications of releasing a death row convict after decades, suggesting such delays damage public trust in justice. “If a man appears before us after being acquitted, he might as well throw the file in our face,” he added.
Despite his reservations, the bench agreed to adjourn the hearing, instructing both parties to come fully prepared for the next session. Justice Najafi advised the prosecution to respond formally after the defence files its application.
The case
Noor Mukadam, 27, was brutally murdered on July 20, 2021, in Islamabad. Zahir Jaffer, arrested at the crime scene, was charged with her murder. According to the FIR, Noor was beheaded after being killed with a sharp weapon, in a case that shocked the country.
In February 2022, a sessions court sentenced Jaffer to death, along with a 25-year prison term and a fine. Two domestic workers were also convicted, while other co-accused — including Jaffer’s parents and TherapyWorks staff — were acquitted.
The Islamabad High Court upheld Jaffer’s death sentence in March 2023 and converted the 25-year jail term into a second death penalty. Jaffer then appealed to the Supreme Court in April 2023.
Noor’s father, Shaukat Mukadam, a former diplomat, had recently urged the apex court to expedite the hearing, highlighting the prolonged delay of over 18 months.
