ISLAMABAD: A condolence and memorial ceremony was held at the National Press Club Islamabad to mark the fifth death anniversary of Noor Mukadam, where speakers called for stronger implementation of laws, timely justice, protection of women and urgent judicial reforms.
Noor Mukadam’s father Shaukat Mukadam, noted rights 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 ceremony.
The participants offered prayers for Noor Mukadam and expressed their resolve to continue collective efforts for making the justice system more effective and ensuring the protection of women.
Addressing the gathering, MNA Ayesha Syed said the Noor Mukadam case was not only about one individual but was linked to justice, human dignity and women’s safety. She said it was important to raise not only daughters but also sons in a manner that teaches respect for others’ dignity, rights and honour.
She said silence in the face of oppression strengthens oppression itself. Even after five years, she added, the tragedy continues to raise important questions for society, particularly whether a safe environment has been ensured for future generations, especially girls.
Ayesha Syed stressed that strict enforcement of effective laws, speedy justice and the joint role of parents, educational institutions, media and all segments of society were essential.
Prominent social activist Tahira Abdullah said the occasion was not a day of happiness but one of grief and determination. She said the pain of Noor Mukadam’s loss would always remain, 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 murder could not be justified in any way and no justification for the killing of any human being was acceptable. She added that under the leadership of Shaukat Mukadam, the narrative of hatred and violence had been effectively countered 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. However, he said the continued support of the media, civil society, friends and the public had given them courage.
He said Noor Mukadam’s case was not limited to his family but had become a case of the entire society, which was why people treated it as their own grief and stood with the family in the struggle for justice.
Shaukat Mukadam called for judicial reforms and proposed that clear timelines should be fixed through legislation for cases involving serious crimes so that such cases do not remain pending for years in trial courts, high courts and the Supreme Court.
He said if punishments were not implemented in time, the rule of law was weakened and fear among criminals disappeared.
He also appreciated the professional work of the police investigation team, saying that modern scientific evidence and honest investigation had played an important role in paving the way for justice.
Thanking the media, civil society and all those who supported the family, Shaukat Mukadam said the struggle for justice was not over and society would have to remain united to prevent such incidents.
At the end of the ceremony, participants prayed for Noor Mukadam and all women who had been subjected to violence. They reaffirmed their commitment to continue efforts for women’s protection, human dignity, supremacy of law and timely justice. Candles were also lit in memory of Noor Mukadam.
