The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a review petition filed by Zahir Jaffer, upholding its earlier judgment that maintained his death sentence in the high-profile Noor Mukadam murder case.

A three-member bench of the apex court rejected the plea after hearing arguments from both sides, bringing another round of legal challenge in the case to a close at the top judicial level.

Noor Mukadam, 27, was found murdered at Jaffer’s residence in Islamabad’s Sector F-7 in July 2021. Investigations revealed she was subjected to torture before being killed, triggering nationwide outrage and one of the most closely followed criminal trials in recent years.

Jaffer was convicted by a trial court in February 2022 and sentenced to death for murder, along with additional prison terms on other charges. His conviction and sentence were later upheld by the Islamabad High Court, which also enhanced his punishment in the rape charge to a death sentence. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld the conviction in its earlier ruling, which is now reaffirmed through the dismissal of the review petition.

In his review plea, the convict had argued that key evidentiary and legal aspects, including claims related to mental health and the admissibility of digital evidence, were not properly considered. The petition also challenged the reliance on video material and questioned the proof of rape allegations.

However, the Supreme Court rejected the arguments and maintained its stance on the admissibility and strength of evidence, including digital recordings used during the trial proceedings.

With the latest decision, the death sentence against Jaffer remains in force, leaving only limited legal avenues such as a possible presidential mercy petition under Article 45 of the Constitution.

The case has already gone through multiple judicial stages, including the trial court, Islamabad High Court, and earlier Supreme Court rulings, all of which have upheld the conviction in the widely followed case.