On May 20, 2025, the Supreme Court of Pakistan delivered a long-awaited verdict. Zahir Jaffer’s death sentence for the brutal murder of Noor Mukadam would stand. The decision came nearly four years after Noor’s horrific death. It was met with a collective sense of relief and a deep emotional release across the country.

Noor, just 27 at the time, was held captive, tortured, and then beheaded in Jaffer’s home in Islamabad in July 2021. The crime shocked the nation and sparked outrage that went far beyond headlines — it became a national reckoning with issues like gender-based violence, legal privilege, and how justice often moves too slowly for the vulnerable.

The Supreme Court’s Final Word

The Supreme Court’s ruling, led by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, confirmed Jaffer’s conviction under Pakistan’s penal code. His second death sentence, for rape, was reduced to life imprisonment, and a 10-year sentence for abduction was brought down to just one year. While the technical details mattered, what stood out more was the message: this time, power and wealth didn’t win.

Jaffer, an American citizen from an influential business family, had tried to escape punishment by claiming mental instability — a defence the court rejected, calling the murder premeditated and deliberate. His final lifeline now is a presidential pardon, a possibility many activists hope will be firmly denied.

A Nation Reacts

Reactions flooded in within minutes. The hashtag #JusticeForNoor lit up social media. Actor Osman Khalid Butt praised Noor’s father, Shaukat Mukadam, for never giving up. Others called it a rare and powerful moment — the justice system standing tall against privilege.

But the road to this point was long and painful. Noor’s family faced scrutiny and delays. Her own character was questioned. And for years, her parents fought a battle no family should ever have to fight.

Today’s ruling won’t erase the loss, but it might offer a sense of dignity — a sign that Noor’s voice wasn’t silenced in vain. And maybe, just maybe, it shows that the tide is turning — that the lives of women in Pakistan are beginning to matter where it counts most: in the courtroom.