Main accused in motorway gang-rape case indicted by court

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday indicted accused Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali in the motorway gang-rape case.

The accused pleaded not guilty and contended to contest the charges, said Deputy Prosecutor General Hafiz Asghar.

Hafiz told APP that the court recorded statements of 10 prosecution witnesses, including car mechanic, Dolphin squad member, doctor, after the accused denied the charges.

Subsequently, the court adjourned further proceedings and summoned more prosecution witnesses on the next date of hearing, he added.

ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta conducted the case hearing at the Camp Jail, wherein jail authorities produced Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali, prime accused and co-accused.

The Gujjarpura police had filed a challan against the accused, wherein they were declared guilty.

The police had requested the court for awarding strict punishment to the accused as sufficient evidence was available against them.

The police had also submitted a list of 53 witnesses.

On September 9, the accused- Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali, allegedly raped a woman at gunpoint in the Gujjarpura area while she was waiting for help on the motorway after her car ran out of fuel.

An FIR of the incident was lodged with the Gujjarpura police under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).