WEB DESK: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has lauded Pakistan’s judicial system following the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision to uphold the death sentences of two men convicted in the high-profile motorway gang-rape case. Musk expressed his admiration on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), calling for similar justice practices in Western nations.
“Bravo, Pakistan! This is the kind of justice we should strive for in the West,” Musk wrote in his post.
The LHC’s ruling came on Wednesday, affirming the previous verdict by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) which sentenced Abid Malhi and Shafqat Baga to death. The court dismissed their appeals challenging the verdict, which had also included a 14-year prison term and a fine of Rs250,000 each for robbery, as well as sentences for abducting the victim’s children and damaging her vehicle.
A bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa delivered the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides. The defense argued that the trial court had not thoroughly evaluated the evidence or considered the defense’s stance, requesting the court to overturn the death sentences and free the accused. Conversely, the prosecution’s lawyer, Raheela Shahid, maintained that the ATC’s judgment was lawful and supported by substantial evidence.
Punjab’s Prosecutor General, Farhad Ali Shah, emphasized the difficulty in bringing the case to justice, highlighting the efforts of the Prosecutor Department in ensuring the convicted’s punishment. He noted that the investigation was initiated based on the victim’s identification, with DNA evidence from the crime scene for Malhi and CDR data leading to Baga’s arrest.
The case originated from an FIR filed at Gujjarpura Police Station, Lahore, on September 9, 2020. The accused were convicted on March 20, 2021, and subsequently challenged their verdict before the Lahore High Court on March 25, 2021. The court’s decision marks a significant milestone in the case and has garnered international attention, especially with Musk’s commendation of Pakistan’s judicial approach.
