Zahir Jaffer Looks Towards Presidential Mercy in Noor Mukadam Murder Case
The Noor Muqaddam murder case, a nightmare that shocked Pakistan to its very foundations, has taken a new dramatic turn. Zahir Zakir Jaffer, the individual who was sentenced to death for the premeditated murder of 27-year-old Noor Mukadam, is now seeking to invoke Article forty five of the Constitution an appeal for clemency to the President of Pakistan.
After a few rulings against him, including confirmation of his death sentence through the Supreme Court, Jaffer is launching what could possibly be his last felony bid: a presidential mercy petition.
The Path to Mercy: Legal Routes Exhausted
In July of 2021, Noor Muqaddam was found brutally killed at Zahir Jaffer’s residence in Islamabad. The case, identified through mass outrage and harsh media criticism, led to a death sentence under Section 302B (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The decision of the trial court previously stood in the way through each the Islamabad High Court and, more recently, the Supreme Court of Pakistan in May 2025. Without such judicial remedy, the only closing channel is in the constitutional authority vested in the President under Article 45, which allows the head of state to pardon or remit sentences.
Medical Boards Now Enter the Equation
In advisement regarding the mercy petition, Adiala Jail authorities have set the procedural criteria in motion. Letters seen through Dawn.com reveal that the reformatory superintendent has written to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), requesting the establishment of a medical and psychiatric board to review Jaffer.
The letter highlights that the intellectual and physical fitness tests are prerequisite conditions prior to filing a mercy petition. A July eight letter confirms that Zahir’s appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court, and therefore, the next step is to gather expert scientific views.
PIMS has had in mind that its board of scientists, which has consisted of Dr. Shafqat Nawaz from psychiatry and Dr. Aamir Naveed from neurology, will monitor Jaffer within Adiala Jail and report its findings, which will be crucial to the mercy petition.
Complex Legal History and Shifting Sentences
Zahir Jaffer’s convictions. They. They. Which extend beyond murder. According to Section 376 of the PPC, he was formerly sentenced to rigorous imprisonment of 25 years and a fine of Rs 200,000. At the start upheld through the Islamabad High Court. This sentence. Used. To. Be. Later. Commuted. To. Existence. Imprisonment. Through. The. Supreme. Court.
All this notwithstanding, the essence of premeditated murder stays the same, with all avenues through the courts closed off. It’s in the hands of the President of Pakistan now to determine if clemency of any form can be extended.
A Father’s Fight for Justice Continues
While Jaffer makes his final plea, Noor Muqaddam’s family pursues their quest for justice. Noor’s father has been a relentless advocate for accountability, even approaching the Supreme Court to fast-track the prison grievances that had languished for over a year and a half.
His surname is a reminder for many across the state that this case is a litmus look at for Pakistan’s justice system where power, influence, and might must no longer be used to undermine justice.
This dramatic unfolding Zahir Jaffer presidential mercy petition represents a turning point moment in one of Pakistan’s most sensational murder trials. It is a chilling reminder of the violence Noor continued and the crime wars that have due to the fact that followed.
Until the President decides, the case remains a picture of each justice served and justice but to be sealed.
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