Billionaire’s entrepreneur Elon Musk praised Pakistan’s judicial system after the Lahore High Court (LHC) upheld the death sentences of two men convicted in the high-profile motorway gang-rape case and dismissed their appeals.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Musk expressed admiration for the ruling and suggested that western countries should adopt similar standards for justice.
“Brave, Pakistan! This is what we should be doing in the West,” he wrote.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2062227093942161481
The reaction came after a two-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC), comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa, upheld the earlier verdict of an anti-terrorism court (ATC), which had sentenced Abid Malhi and Shafqat Baga to death.
The court also maintained additional punishments previously handed down by the trial court, including imprisonment and fines, after rejecting arguments presented by the defence.
During the hearing, defence counsel argued that the trial court had failed to properly assess the evidence and had not adequately considered their clients’ stance, requesting the sentences be overturned and the convicts released.
However, the prosecution opposed the appeals, arguing that the ATC’s decision was lawful, evidence-based and supported by substantial proof. Prosecutor Raheela Shahid urged the court to dismiss the appeals.
Punjab Prosecutor General Farhad Ali Shah later said the case had been a major test for the justice system, adding that investigators and prosecutors worked extensively to ensure the case reached its legal conclusion.
According to case details, the FIR was registered at Gujjarpura Police Station in Lahore on September 9, 2020. The ATC sentenced both men to death on March 20, 2021, along with additional penalties including 14 years’ imprisonment and fines for robbery, life imprisonment for abducting the victim’s children, and further jail terms for damaging property.
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The convicts had challenged the ATC ruling before the Lahore High Court on March 25, 2021, which has now been upheld.
