Summary The Lahore High Court upheld the death sentences of two convicts in the motorway gang rape case, ruling that DNA, medical and forensic evidence conclusively proved their guilt.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Lahore High Court has upheld the death sentences awarded to convicts Abid Ali and Shafqat alias Bugga in the high-profile motorway gang rape case, dismissing their appeals against the trial court's verdict. The court ruled that DNA, medical and forensic evidence conclusively established their guilt beyond any doubt.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa issued a detailed written judgment, stating that the survivor's testimony was credible, reliable and of significant evidentiary value. The judgment noted that her account was fully corroborated by medical findings, forensic reports and other scientific evidence.
The court observed that the DNA report confirmed Abid Ali's involvement in the crime, while blood samples collected from the vehicle also matched his DNA profile. It further held that the forensic evidence substantially strengthened the prosecution's case, and both convicts were correctly identified during the identification parade.
According to the written judgment, the convicts forcibly removed the woman and her children from the vehicle before committing the heinous offence, an act that not only traumatized the victim's family but also spread fear and panic throughout society. The court ruled that such a grave crime did not warrant any leniency.
The Lahore High Court further held that the death sentences awarded by the trial court were fully commensurate with the nature and severity of the offence, leaving no grounds for judicial interference. The court also dismissed the state's appeal seeking enhancement of the sentence and upheld the life imprisonment awarded to the convicts on other counts.
