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International Youth Criminology Research Center
Harram FatimaAn Independent Research Platform for Criminology and Social Sciences Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan
Website: www.iycrc.site
Affiliations:
BS (Scholar),Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of Sargodha.
Email: fatimaharram961@gmail.com
Zain Ali
BS (Scholar),Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of Sargodha.
Email: zainalilali993@gmail.com
Amera Sami
BS (Scholar), Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad
Email: amerasamiforsure@gmail.com
Maryam Shafiq
BS (Scholar), Department of Social Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan.
Amna Qurban Ali
BS (Scholar), Department of Computer Science, COMSATS University Islamabad.
Email: code.with.amna@gmail.com
Abstract: Gender-based violence in Pakistan remains a persistent challenge that continues to expose the limitations and resilience of the country's legal and judicial framework. High-profile criminal cases have increasingly become indicators of institutional accountability and the effectiveness of justice delivery mechanisms. This study is guided by two principal research questions: first, what investigative strengths and procedural shortcomings characterized the police inquiry and judicial proceedings in achieving justice in the Noor Mukadam case; and second, what broader lessons does this case offer regarding gender-based violence, women's protection, and the necessity for legal and institutional reforms in Pakistan? Although previous scholarship has extensively examined the prevalence and societal consequences of violence against women, limited attention has been devoted to a doctrinal assessment of judicial reasoning and evidentiary evaluation in gender-related homicide litigation. To bridge this gap, the present research adopts a criminological socio-legal perspective, utilizing doctrinal legal analysis as its primary methodological approach. The study critically examines the judgments of the Additional Sessions Court, Islamabad, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan, together with relevant legal literature and human rights reports, to evaluate investigative procedures and judicial decision-making. The findings reveal that the prosecution's case was substantially reinforced through forensic DNA analysis, CCTV recordings, and digital communication records, all of which were judicially recognized under the "silent witness" doctrine despite the absence of direct eyewitness testimony. Nevertheless, the investigation also exposed institutional deficiencies, including inconclusive fingerprint evidence, procedural weaknesses in crime scene management, and public concerns regarding the potential influence of privileged social status. The study recommends strengthening forensic capabilities, improving evidence preservation and investigative training, and safeguarding judicial institutions from social and political interference. Ultimately, while the Noor Mukadam case demonstrates the capacity of Pakistan's courts to uphold justice in exceptional circumstances, it also underscores that sustainable gender justice requires comprehensive structural reforms rather than reliance on isolated landmark judgments.
Keywords: Noor Mukadam Case; Gender-Based Violence; Doctrinal Legal Analysis; Forensic Evidence; Criminal Justice Reform.
