Noor Mukadam case: Crimes against women betrayal of divine and national values, SC says

The Supreme Court has stressed that Pakistan, as an Islamic Republic, has a constitutional responsibility to protect women’s rights and ensure their dignity and safety.

It made these remarks in its detailed judgment upholding the death sentence of Zahir Jaffer for the 2021 murder of Noor Mukadam.

The 12-page judgment explained the limited scope of a review petition, noting that it cannot be used as a disguised appeal to reopen evidence, reconsider facts or reargue matters already decided by the courts.

The court also rejected Jaffer’s claim of mental illness, observing that the medical evidence presented by his counsel showed he had suffered a drug-induced psychotic episode in 2015 but had subsequently completed treatment and made a full recovery.

Expressing concern over rising cases of femicide, the Supreme Court said violence against women is often the culmination of a broader pattern involving coercive control, stalking and psychological abuse. Citing UN data, it noted that around 50,000 women and girls were killed in 2024 by intimate partners or close family members worldwide.

The judgment further highlighted that, contrary to the belief that women are safest at home, the domestic environment remains one of the places where women face the greatest risk of violence and abuse.