Lahore: Lahore High Court (LHC) while rejecting the appeal pleas of convicts Abid Ali and Shafqat alias Bagga has upheld the death sentence awarded by the trial court to them in gang rape of a woman on motorway case.

The court maintained in its written decision DNA, medical and forensic evidence have doubtlessly proved the offence of the criminals.

A two members bench of LHC comprising Justice Syed Shehbaz Ali and Justice Tariq Mehmood Bajwa released the written decision.

It was said in the decision the statement of aggrieved woman is very important and reliable evidence. Medical, forensic and other scientific evidences also support it.

The court maintained the offence of criminal Abid Ali was proved through DNA report. DNA of blood samples collected from vehicle also is compatible with the accused.

According to decision forensic evidence further strengthened the case of prosecution and correct identification of both the accused was made during identification parade.

It was said in the written decision the accused took out the woman and her children forcibly from the vehicle and committed heinous crime. This led to spread harassment not only in the affected family but also in the society.

The court maintained no leniency can be shown in such heinous crime.

LHC also maintained in its decision the death sentence awarded by the trial court is in conformity with nature and gravity of the crime. Therefore, there is no room for interfering in it.

The court while rejecting the plea by the state for enhancement in the punishment upheld life imprisonment awarded to the convicts. It is pertinent to mention here that two criminals raped the woman in front of her children after robbery at night on motorway near Lahore on September 9, 2020.

The Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) had awarded death sentence to both of criminals after their offence was proved. Both of them were awarded life sentence in the offence of hostage- making and 14 years imprisonment in the offence of dacoity.

Both of the convicts had challenged the ATC decision in LHC on March 25, 2021.