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ISLAMABAD: Zahir Zakir Jaffer, the man convicted of one of Pakistan’s most harrowing femicide cases, has filed a review petition at the Supreme Court to overturn his death sentence for the 2021 beheading of Noor Mukadam.

In the petition, filed under Article 188 of the Constitution and seen by Arab News on Wednesday, Jaffer argues that the May 2024 judgment upholding his death sentence contains “mistakes floating on the surface of the record.” He alleges that the court failed to consider material facts and due process violations that, if reviewed, would prove his innocence.

The petition argues that widespread social media coverage had fueled public hostility toward Jaffer during the investigation, trial, and appeals process, undermining his right to a fair trial. It also cites a ruling from another case to suggest that procedural errors occurred because the case was handled in haste.

“The impugned judgment may very graciously be reviewed, recalled and set aside,” the petition states, “and the petitioner may very graciously be acquitted of the charges or in the alternate, may be ordered to be re-tried afresh.”

The Supreme Court had previously declared the evidence against Jaffer “overwhelming” and found no merit in his insanity defense. But in this final legal challenge, Jaffer’s lawyers argue the case involved “misreading and non-reading of material evidence,” and claim that he was denied a fair trial.

Jaffer, a dual Pakistani-American citizen from a wealthy business family, was convicted of torturing and beheading Mukadam, the daughter of a former ambassador, at his Islamabad home in July 2021. The murder triggered national outrage, women-led protests, and rare scrutiny of elite impunity in Pakistan’s legal system

Jaffer was sentenced to death in February 2022 and lost appeals in the Islamabad High Court and Supreme Court. In its May ruling, the apex court said Jaffer had confined Mukadam for two days, ignored her pleas, and “beheaded her in a gruesome manner.”

“All the evidence pointed squarely to the petitioner,” the justices wrote, citing testimony from guards, digital records, and Mukadam’s attempts to flee the house.

The scope of review petitions in Pakistan is extremely narrow and restricted to identifying legal errors, not reassessing facts. Unless the Supreme Court admits the review, Jaffer’s last option will be a clemency request to the President of Pakistan, which the Mukadam family has vowed to challenge.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has this week formally announced its candidacy for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026–2028 term, vowing to pursue a platform based on tolerance, universality and consensus-building.

The announcement was made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday during a reception hosted by Pakistan’s Mission in New York as the country assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July.

Pakistan has previously served multiple terms on the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, which is composed of 47 member states elected for staggered three-year terms by the UN General Assembly. The next round of elections is scheduled for late 2025.

“Pakistan has also presented its candidature for election to the Human Rights Council for the term 2026–2028. Our engagement with the Human Rights Council is guided by the idea of truth, tolerance, respect, universality, consensus-building and engagement,” Dar said at the dinner.

“Pakistan’s candidature is endorsed by the Asia-Pacific Group, and we hope to count on your valuable support.”

The announcement coincides with Pakistan’s broader push for UN reform, its active participation in Security Council deliberations this month and its ongoing diplomatic efforts to strengthen the UN system’s focus on peace, development, and rights.

Dar also used the reception to reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to multilateral diplomacy and UN Charter principles, especially the peaceful resolution of disputes and the non-use of force. 

As part of its Security Council presidency, Pakistan has prioritized three areas: the peaceful settlement of disputes, multilateralism and enhanced cooperation between the UN and regional bodies such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dar explained. 

“These same guiding principles continue to shape our contributions to the Council’s work, including in our presidency this month, both in deliberations and in action,” the deputy prime minister said, noting that Pakistan continues to support “reform of the United Nations to make this organization stronger, more effective, and more responsive to the interest and priorities of the general membership.”

Pakistan, he added, has “championed strengthening of the three pillars of the United Nations — peace and security, development and human rights,” including across the General Assembly, ECOSOC, and other multilateral platforms.

On Tuesday, under Pakistan’s presidency, the UNSC unanimously adopted a resolution calling on member states to use peaceful means to resolve disputes.

The resolution encourages states to make full use of existing mechanisms such as “negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement or other peaceful means,” in accordance with the UN Charter.