Zubair Qureshi
While speaking at a reference held in memory of Noor Muadam, the 27-year old human rights activist— slaughtered by a ‘friend’ on June 20, 2021—speakers held Pakistan could make progress only when its girls and women lived a life free of fear and anxiety.
Daily, we see incidents of women being killed in the name of honour, values and religion while there is no honour in killing, they said.
The reference that was organized at the Pak-Brunei Friendship Hall on Thursday was attended by a large number of friends and members of Noor’s family, members of civil society, diplomats (since Shaukat Ali Mukadam, Noor’s father is a former diplomat) and media persons. Among the noted guests included Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan and wife, former Ambassador and Chairman BoG ISSI, Khalid Mahmood, former Ambassador to China Masood Khalid, former MPA (JUI-F) Ayesha Syeda, Advocate Syed Kazmi and others.
Mashal Arbab, Programme Officer on Gender, Aga Khan Foundation moderated the session.
While thanking the audience, Shaukat Ali Mukadam said his family was passing through terrible times since the death of Noor as she was the star of the family and everyone—her friends, relatives—adored and admired her. She was taken away from us at a tender age of 27 and “I am thankful to all of you for standing by me in my struggle to bring the culprit to justice,” he said.
The convict in Noor Mukadam’s murderer, Zahir Jaffer was awarded death by the District & Sessions Judge of Islamabad on Feb 24, 2022. Later, the sentence was upheld by the Islamabad High Court in March this year, he said.
The IHC had rather upheld the capital punishment on two counts, said Shaukat Mukadam adding both the defence and the prosecution had moved appeals with the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP), the defence for setting aside the sentence and we, seeking addition in the 10-year sentence of the security guard and the gardener.
However, the apex court has not yet taken up the case for hearing, said Mr Mukadam adding the entire Pakistan was looking towards the highest judiciary. Unless and until the sentence is confirmed and the punishment is awarded, women of Pakistan would continue to live in fear, he said, giving the example of Canadian-Pakistani woman Sara Inam’s murder in September last year. He appealed to the apex court to take up the matter sooner than later. He expressed full trust in the judiciary and said he was confident like in the past, he would get justice in future also. Noor, he said, was dear to everyone. We, my wife and I learned many new things about the Quran and Islam from her as she had great association with religion. Mashal Arbab, Programme Officer on Gender, Aga Khan Foundation earlier, in her introductory remarks said Pakistan was seeing a steady increase in cases of ‘femicide.’ It is a form of intentional killing with a gender-related motivation and according to a report, in Pakistan approximately 26,000 cases of gender based violence were reported in Pakistan, she said. Later, Ayesha Syeda led prayers for the departed soul of Noor Mukadam.
