Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, now a member of the Federal Constitutional Court, has linked the tragic Noor Mukadam murder case to the rising trend of live-in relationships in Pakistan.
The observation came in an additional note appended to the Supreme Court ruling that upheld the death sentence of convict Zahir Zakir Jaffer. Noor, 27, was brutally murdered in Islamabad in July 2021. Zahir was sentenced to death in 2022, a verdict upheld by both the Islamabad High Court and the Supreme Court.
In his note, Justice Najafi argued that live-in relationships represent a growing “vice” in society. He stated that such relationships often disregard social and religious norms and could lead to “horrible consequences,” as seen in Noor Mukadam’s case. He described these arrangements as a “direct revolt against Almighty Allah” and urged young people to reflect on the risks of abandoning societal and personal law.
The judge emphasized that no mitigating circumstances existed in the case. Delays in filing the FIR, postmortem issues, and the absence of fingerprints on the murder weapon, he wrote, did not weaken the circumstantial evidence. Forensic findings directly linked both the rope and the weapon to Noor and the convict.
Noor’s murder shocked the nation and prompted a high-profile investigation. Initially, Zahir’s parents and several Therapy Works employees were indicted for allegedly attempting to conceal evidence but were later acquitted. The case ignited widespread debate about societal norms and the safety of women in Pakistan.
Lawyer Nida Hosain commented on X (formerly Twitter) about Justice Najafi’s note, highlighting its emphasis on the risks of live-in relationships. The convict’s review petition is currently pending before the Supreme Court, though the additional note was issued just before Justice Najafi joined the Federal Constitutional Court.
Justice Najafi’s remarks have reignited discussions about morality, social behavior, and legal implications surrounding live-in relationships in the country.
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