Pakistan Upholds Death Sentence In French Tourist Gang Rape Case

A Pakistani court has upheld the death sentences of two men convicted of gang-raping a French tourist in front of her three children after her car broke down on a motorway near Lahore in 2020. The Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed appeals by Abid Ali and Shafqat Ali, who had challenged a 2021 ruling by an anti-terrorism court finding them guilty of gang rape, kidnapping, robbery and terrorism-related offences. The death sentences handed down by the trial court remain in force after the appeals were rejected.

Lahore Motorway Brutal Attack Shocks Pakistan

The case stems from a horrific incident on September 9, 2020, when a French woman of Pakistani origin was travelling with her three children on the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway. According to the investigators, the family’s vehicle ran out of fuel during a late-night journey, leaving them stranded on the roadside. While waiting for help, the woman stayed inside the locked vehicle with her children.

Authorities said the attackers smashed a window of the vehicle, forced the woman out, and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint in front of her children. The suspects also allegedly robbed the family of cash, jewellery, and bank cards before escaping from the scene. The brutal nature of the crime triggered nationwide outrage and renewed concerns about public safety on highways.

Investigators moved quickly after the attack, using mobile phone records to identify potential suspects. DNA evidence collected from the crime scene later helped establish links between the accused and the assault. Prosecutors said the survivor identified both men during court proceedings. Reports also indicated that one of the convicted men, Shafqat Ali, confessed before a magistrate.

An anti-terrorism court convicted the two men in March 2021, sentencing them to death while also imposing life imprisonment and additional jail terms for related offences. During the appeal, defence lawyers said the prosecution’s case was inconsistent and based on unreliable evidence. They asked the court to quash the convictions.

High Court Rejects Appeals

Prosecutors argued that the convictions were backed by strong forensic and testimonial evidence and that the trial court had considered all information available before pronouncing its verdict. Pakistani media reports say the Lahore High Court agreed with the prosecution’s position and rejected the appeals, affirming the original sentences.

The case caused an uproar in Pakistan and garnered international attention. Public anger flared after Lahore police chief, Umer Sheikh, made comments questioning why the victim was travelling at night and suggesting that she should have taken a different route.

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