July 21, 2026
By Hafiz Ullah Storai Sherani
ISLAMABAD
Five years after the gruesome murder of Noor Mukaddam, her family, friends and civil society at large, held a candlelight vigil outside the National Press Club in Islamabad. At the vigil, Noor’s parents spoke to the media about their emotional trauma. They were flanked by the head of their legal team, Advocate Shah Khawar, who talked about the court rulings concerning the case.
Through a press conference and a joint press release, Noor’s family and supporters urged the President of Pakistan to immediately reject any potential mercy petition submitted on behalf of the primary convict, Zahir Zakir Jaffer.
“Following the judicial verdicts, the convict now has only one final constitutional option left—appealing to the President of Pakistan for mercy,” said the grieving family. “We earnestly appeal to the Honourable President to immediately reject any mercy petition for this convict involved in the heinous crimes of murder, kidnapping, rape, and torture.”
The family expressed hope that the decision by the President would instil a sense of safety and confidence among Pakistani women and young girls, serving as a guarantee that the State genuinely upholds their right to life, honour, and dignity. Expressing grave concern over the rising incidents of violence against women in the country, they demanded immediate and strict action to prevent such tragic incidents from happening to anyone else’s daughter in the future.
Zahir Jaffer convicted five times
Following the brutal murder of Noor Mukaddam in Islamabad on July 20, 2021, the trial court sentenced the primary accused, Zahir Zakir Jaffer, to death. This verdict was subsequently upheld twice by the Islamabad High Court and twice more by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Having been convicted five times, the criminal has exhausted all his legal rights to appeal under the law and has lost all appeals.
Speaking to Voicepk, Noor’s emotional and aggrieved mother described the delays in verdicts and the painful 5-year journey.
“My husband and I have gone through a very difficult time; these five years were disastrous and terrible years of our lives,” she said. “Every single moment, my husband, my whole family, and I suffered immense grief, which also severely impacted my children. We couldn’t sleep at night; we couldn’t close our eyes, and that remains the case even today.
She spoke about the implementation of the sentence.
“If you do not implement this sentence, how will the system function? If criminals are not given exemplary punishment, how will people know that justice is being served?” she questioned. “Everyone involved should be punished. The Supreme Court has delivered the final decision regarding his execution, so it must be executed, and this matter should be concluded. Why is the execution of this decision being dragged on for so long?”
Speaking to Voicepk, Shaukat Mukaddam, Noor’s father, emphasized bringing the convict to justice and demanding the immediate execution of the death penalty. According to him, upholding the rule of law is vital not only for justice but also for the country’s future and economy.
“If such beasts continue to roam freely, murdering and kidnapping innocent girls, people will lose faith in the law and the supremacy of justice,” he said. He added that until such criminals are given the death penalty, there will be no fear of the law among perpetrators, nor will foreign investors come to the country, as a safe and law-abiding society is essential for economic progress.
Legal status
Highlighting the legal stages and hurdles of the case, Noor’s lawyer, Shah Khawar, stated that for any victimized family, the primary desire is to receive swift justice.
“Whether it is this case or any other, the most fundamental issue for victimized families or those who have suffered injustice is their desire to get justice as quickly as possible.”
He explained that it is difficult for a common citizen to understand the intricacies of investigation and court procedures, while facing multiple defense lawyers and convincing the court presented a major challenge.
“Overall, there were a number of hurdles along the way. After crossing all of them, as you can see today, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has ultimately upheld the initial death sentence verdict.”