The son of a business tycoon has been sentenced to death for raping and beheading his childhood friend, the daughter of a former diplomat.
Zahir Jaffer, 30, the son of one of Pakistan 's wealthiest families, held the woman hostage at his home in Islamabad and tortured her for two days at his home before brutally killing her on July 20, 2021.
The victim, Noor Mukadam, 27, was the daughter of an esteemed diplomat; she and Jaffer were long-time friends whose families knew each other.
The court heard how Jaffer tortured her with a knuckleduster, raped her, and used a 'sharp-edged weapon' to behead her after she rejected his marriage proposal.
A court in Pakistan on Thursday sentenced Jaffer, a US national of Pakistani origin, to death for his crimes.
'The main accused has been awarded the death sentence,' said judge Atta Rabbani at the Islamabad district court.
Security camera footage reportedly showed Noor, the daughter of a former ambassador, made repeated attempts to escape the sprawling mansion but was blocked by two members of Jaffer's staff.
The motive is unclear although local media reports Jaffer is thought to have attacked Noor after she refused his marriage proposal
Two of Jaffer's employees were jailed for 10 years each on charges of abetting in the murder.
Jaffer's parents, Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, were found not guilty of attempting to cover up the crime.
The shocking crime has dominated headlines in Pakistan and sparked outrage in the South Asain nation.
Hundreds of women are killed in Pakistan each year and thousands more are victims of brutal violence, but few cases get sustained media attention and only a small fraction of perpetrators are ever punished.
According to the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell, a group providing legal assistance to vulnerable women, the conviction rate for cases of violence against women in Pakistan is lower than three percent.
The maximum sentence was "necessary", the victim's father said after sentencing.
"I've been saying that this is not just my daughter's case, it is a case for all the daughters of my country," he said.
Investigators say Jaffer lured Mukadam, a friend and daughter of Pakistan's former envoy to South Korea, to his home, held her there for two days and then brutally murdered her.
Police reports state Ms Mukadam’s parents became concerned when their daughter failed to turn up at home on July 19.
They later received a call from her saying she had travelled to Lahore with friends before her parents received a call on July 20 from Mr Jaffer claiming she was not with him.
Police later contacted her father to tell him his daughter had been killed.
Thursday's verdict stated that Zahir Jaffer be 'hanged by his neck till he is dead' but he will be able to challenge it. He was also given a concurrent sentence of 25 years in prison for abduction and rape.
Pakistan has rarely carried out executions in recent years so it is likely that Jaffer will only serve jail time.
Mr Jaffer’s parents, Asmat and Zakir, were also previously arrested on charges of “not only causing abatement” but also for making the “utmost efforts to wipe off evidence” and had a bail request thrown out of court. They were subsequently found not guilty.
Jaffer belongs to one of Pakistan's wealthiest families. They founded a trading company in 1849 - Ahmed Jaffer and Company.
His father, Zakir, serves as a director of the company, according to his profile on LinkedIn. His mother is reportedly a housewife.
