LAHORE — The Lahore High Court has upheld the death sentences of two men convicted over the 2020 motorway gang rape case, dismissing appeals filed by Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali against their convictions and sentences.
A two-member bench dismissed the appeals on Wednesday after the prosecution argued that there was overwhelming evidence against the convicts, including DNA evidence, mobile phone data, witness identification and a confession by one of the accused. The court upheld the punishments handed down by an anti-terrorism court in 2021.
Malhi and Ali were convicted in March 2021 of gang rape, kidnapping, robbery and terrorism offences over the attack on a French-Pakistani woman on the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway. The anti-terrorism court sentenced both men to death, along with other punishments including life imprisonment and fines.
Attack Sparked National Outrage
The attack took place on September 9, 2020, after the woman and her three children became stranded when her car ran out of fuel during late-night travel on the motorway near Lahore.
The woman had locked herself and her children inside the vehicle while waiting for help. The attackers broke a window, dragged her out and assaulted her at gunpoint in front of her children. They also stole money, jewellery and bank cards before fleeing.
Police later used mobile phone data and DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene to trace the suspects. The survivor identified the men during court proceedings, while Ali confessed before a magistrate.
Victim-Blaming Remarks Led To Protests
The case triggered mass protests across Pakistan and renewed calls for stronger action against sexual violence.
Public anger intensified after Lahore police chief Umer Sheikh questioned why the woman had been travelling late at night and why she had not taken a busier route. His remarks were widely condemned as victim-blaming and prompted outrage from women’s rights activists, civil society groups and ordinary Pakistanis.
The case became one of Pakistan’s most high-profile sexual violence cases, exposing both the brutality of the attack and the failures in public attitudes towards survivors.
Court Rejects Appeal Arguments
The defence had argued that there were gaps in the prosecution’s version of events and that the trial court’s judgment was unjust.
However, prosecutors maintained that the evidence was strong and consistent, including forensic material and identification evidence.
The Lahore High Court rejected the convicts’ appeals and maintained the death sentences.
Government And Legal Context
Pakistan retains the death penalty for a wide range of offences, including terrorism-related convictions and some rape cases. Executions are carried out by hanging.
The motorway case became central to national debate over sexual violence, justice and policing, particularly because the survivor was attacked while stranded on a major public route.
Although sexual violence is widely underreported in Pakistan because of stigma, weak investigations and pressure on survivors, the brutality of the motorway case led to rare nationwide attention and sustained public pressure for accountability.