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LHC judge Ali Baqar Najafi. PHOTO: ARCHIVE
ISLAMABAD:
The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has strongly condemned the “misogynistic and irresponsible comments” made by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi in connection with the Noor Mukadam murder case.
The commission said the comments reflect a “harmful mindset that shifts responsibility from perpetrators of violence to women themselves.”
Justice Najafi, a member of the three-judge bench of the Supreme Court that upheld the death penalty for Noor’s killer, attributed the gruesome murder to “a social vice.”
In his additional note, the judge confirmed the sentence handed down to Zahir and observed that “the present case is a direct consequence of a widespread vice in high society that we know as ‘cohabitation relationship.’ [sic]’”.
In a statement issued on Friday, the NCSW said it “strongly condemns” Judge Najafi’s comments.
“Such statements constitute clear victim-blaming and reflect a harmful mindset that shifts responsibility from perpetrators of violence to women themselves,” the commission said. “No choice of a woman, real or perceived, can ever justify or explain brutality, murder or any form of gender violence.”
The commission noted that Justice Najafi’s comments also contradicted an earlier ruling by Justice Ayesha Malik, who emphasized that language used for victims must be “sensitive, respectful and free of the judges’ personal biases.”
According to the NCSW, Justice Malik’s ruling urged the judiciary to avoid moralizing and stereotypical narratives that shame or blame women.
“The comments made in this case ignore that judicial responsibility and risk undermining public trust,” the statement stressed. “NCSW calls on all members of the judiciary to uphold constitutional values, maintain impartiality and ensure that the courts remain spaces where survivors and victims are treated with dignity and respect,” he added.
