The Lahore High Court has upheld the death sentences of two convicts in the high-profile motorway gang rape case, dismissing their appeals and ruling that scientific evidence conclusively established their guilt. A two-member bench delivered a detailed written judgment confirming that the sentences were fully commensurate with the gravity of the crime.
Court Cites Overwhelming Scientific Evidence
The bench, comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa, ruled that DNA, medical, and forensic evidence left no room for doubt regarding the involvement of convicts Abid Ali and Shafqat alias Bugga. The court emphasized that the survivor’s testimony was credible, reliable, and carried evidentiary value, and that her account was fully corroborated by medical findings and forensic reports.
According to the judgment, the DNA report confirmed Abid Ali’s involvement in the crime, and blood samples collected from the victim’s vehicle matched his DNA profile. The court noted that this forensic evidence substantially strengthened the prosecution’s case, and both convicts were correctly identified during the identification parade.
A Crime That Shook Society
The written judgment stated that the convicts forcibly removed the woman and her children from their vehicle before committing the heinous offence. The court observed that this act not only traumatized the victim’s family but also spread fear and panic throughout society. Given the severity of the crime, the bench ruled that no leniency was warranted.
The Lahore High Court further held that the death sentences awarded by the trial court were fully appropriate given the nature of the offence, leaving no grounds for judicial interference. The court also dismissed the state’s appeal seeking an enhancement of the sentence and upheld the life imprisonment awarded to the convicts on other counts.
