ISLAMABAD: A condolence and remembrance ceremony was held at the National Press Club, Islamabad, on the fifth death anniversary of Noor Mukadam, where participants stressed the need for justice, women’s protection and urgent judicial reforms.
Noor Mukadam’s father Shaukat Mukadam, social activist Tahira Abdullah, Member National Assembly Ayesha Syed, Zenith Media CEO Sadia Hayat Khan, former Rotary Club president Dr Malik Ashraf Hameed, lawyer, documentary filmmaker and drama producer Haleema Tariq, civil society representatives, human rights activists, lawyers, journalists and people from different walks of life attended the event.
The participants offered prayers for Noor Mukadam and expressed resolve to make the justice system more effective and to work collectively for the protection of women.
Addressing the ceremony, MNA Ayesha Syed said the Noor Mukadam case was not merely about one individual, but about justice, human dignity and the protection of women. She said it was important to raise not only daughters but also sons in a manner that taught them to respect the honour, dignity and rights of others.
She said silence in the face of oppression strengthens oppression itself. Even after five years, she added, the tragedy continued to raise important questions for society, particularly whether a safe environment had been ensured for future generations, especially girls.
Ayesha Syed stressed that strict implementation of effective laws, prompt justice and a shared role by parents, educational institutions, the media and all segments of society were indispensable.
Prominent social activist Tahira Abdullah said the day was not one of joy but of grief and resolve. She said the pain of Noor Mukadam’s loss would remain forever, but Noor had left behind a legacy that brought people from different backgrounds together on one platform for justice and human dignity.
She said Noor’s brutal killing could not be justified in any form, and no justification for taking a human life was acceptable. She added that under the leadership of Shaukat Mukadam, an effective response had been given to narratives of hatred and violence, and the voice for justice had become stronger.
Speaking on the occasion, Shaukat Mukadam said the past five years had been extremely difficult for his family, but the continuous support of the media, civil society, friends and the public had given them courage.
He said Noor Mukadam’s case was not only his family’s case but had become a case of the entire society, which was why the public stood with them in the struggle for justice and treated it as their own grief.
Shaukat Mukadam called for judicial reforms and proposed that a clear legal timeline be fixed for cases involving serious crimes so that cases do not remain pending for years in the trial court, high court and Supreme Court.
He said that if punishments were not implemented in time, the rule of law was affected and fear among criminals disappeared.
He also appreciated the professional performance of the police investigation team, saying modern scientific evidence and honest investigation played an important role in paving the way for justice.
Shaukat Mukadam thanked the media, civil society and all those who supported the family, saying the struggle for justice was not over and society must remain united to prevent such incidents.
At the end of the ceremony, participants offered prayers for Noor Mukadam and all women subjected to violence. They reaffirmed their commitment to continue the struggle for women’s protection, human dignity, the supremacy of law and timely justice.
Candles were also lit in memory of Noor Mukadam at the conclusion of the event.
