The family of Noor Mukaddam — and indeed the women of Pakistan — can finally exhale after the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence of Zahir Jaffer for her brutal murder. The case, which shocked the nation in 2021, became a test of whether justice could prevail in the face of wealth, influence, and privilege. With Zahir’s powerful family connections, many feared the outcome would follow the all-too-familiar pattern in Pakistan: impunity for the elite. But after a long and painful legal process, justice has now been served.

Zahir Jaffer has been found guilty of murder and will face the death penalty. Sometimes the function of the justice system is straightforward: to hold perpetrators accountable, to bring closure to victims, and to remind society that no one is above the law. That message has been delivered — at least in part.

The court also ruled to reduce the sentences of two of Jaffer’s employees, watchman Mohammad Iftikhar and gardener Jaan Mohammad, from ten years to time served — approximately four years — leading to their release. This aspect of the ruling raises difficult questions. While the court upheld its responsibility to adjudicate fairly, it perhaps missed an opportunity to reinforce the importance of moral responsibility.

Both men stood by during the horrific events, failing to act or raise the alarm. Their silence — and, by omission, their complicity — mirrors a pattern seen in many such crimes in Pakistan, where murderers operate with the tacit support or indifference of those around them. A harsher sentence could have sent a powerful message: that turning a blind eye to violence is itself a form of participation.

Nonetheless, this ruling marks the end of a harrowing chapter. The hope now is that it serves not only as a moment of justice for Noor Mukaddam’s family, but also as a precedent — a warning to those who think they can evade accountability, and a call to protect women from the violence they continue to face in silence.