LAHORE – The Lahore High Court has upheld the death sentences handed down to two men convicted in the motorway gang-rape case, rejecting their appeals against the trial court’s verdict.
A division bench comprising Justice Syed Shehbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa, in its detailed written order, ruled that the prosecution had presented strong evidence proving the involvement of Abid Ali and Shafqat alias Baga in the crime.
The court said the survivor’s account was reliable and was supported by medical reports, forensic findings, and DNA evidence. It noted that DNA testing linked Abid Ali to the offence, while samples collected from the vehicle also matched the evidence against him.
The judgment stated that forensic material, along with the identification parade, provided further confirmation of the accused persons’ involvement.
The court observed that the incident was a serious crime that caused fear and trauma not only to the affected family but also across society. It ruled that the nature of the offence did not justify any reduction in punishment.
The bench concluded that the death sentences awarded by the trial court were appropriate given the seriousness of the crime. It also dismissed the state’s request for harsher punishment and retained the existing life imprisonment sentences imposed on the convicts for additional charges.
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