SC to take up Zahir Jaffer's appeal tomorrow

The Supreme Court is set to hear the appeal against Zahir Jaffer's death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case on May 13, according to a cause list that emerged on Sunday.

Noor, 27, was found murdered at a residence in Islamabad's upscale Sector F-7/4 on July 20, 2021. A first information report (FIR) was registered later the same day against Zahir Jaffer, who was arrested from the site of the murder.

In February 2022, a district and sessions judge convicted Jaffer of murdering Mukadam, sentencing him to death along with 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs200,000.

His household staff, Iftikhar and Jameel - co-accused in the case - were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, while all other suspects, including Jaffer's parents and TherapyWorks employees, were acquitted.

According to the cause list available on the Supreme Court of Pakistan's website, "the hearing on the appeal against Jaffer's death sentence will be held on May 13."

Justice Hashim Kakar will head a three-member bench, comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, that will hear the case.