Motorway gang-rape case: ATC awards death sentence to Abid Malhi, Shafqat Ali
LAHORE (92 News) – Announcing the reserved verdict, the anti-terrorism court in Lahore (ATC) awarded death sentence to Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali for gang-raping a woman on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway last year.
An anti-terrorism court in Lahore, which had earlier reserved the verdict, pronounced it today. The trial took place in Lahore's Camp Jail, and Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Arshad Hussain Bhatta heard the proceedings.
Both accused were handed death sentence under Article 376 and life imprisonment under 365 A of the PPC. They were sentenced to 14 years in prison separately.
It is pertinent to mention here that for the first time, the suspects named in a gang-rape case have been handed death sentences. Two men raped a woman in front of her three children on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway on September 9, 2020. The case shocked the nation and led to discussions on victim blaming, how safe public places are for women, police incompetence, and rape laws in Pakistan. A court has been hearing the case for the last six months and is expected to announce its verdict on March 20.
Earlie on March 18, ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta reserved the verdict of the Motorway rape case.
The court will announce the verdict on March 20. The case registered against the accused Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali was heard at Camp Jail.
Defence counsel Qasim Arain and Sher Gull Qureshi contended that the accused were not granted the right to the fair trial. They stated that the accused were forced to confess the crime.
The prosecution said that the accused were arrested after their DNA was matched. He demanded punishment for the accused as per law.
On September 9, two dacoits identified as Abid and Shafqat had gang-raped a woman in front of her children in the Gujjarpura police area on Lahore-Sialkot Motorway.
The victim with her children was waiting for help on Motorway when the dacoits reached there. They forcibly took her to nearby jungle and raped her. The incident caused uproar across the country. Shafqat had already been arrested and is on judicial remand.
