A woman travelling with her husband and two children was allegedly raped by an armed robber after three motorcycle riders intercepted the family near the motorway bridge in Wan Chatha, Multan.
According to the first information report (FIR) registered on the complaint of the woman’s husband, Saad, a resident of Tahir Colony, was returning from Rasul Pur with his family after attending a birthday party.
The incident took place after 10pm when three motorcycle riders allegedly intercepted the family near the motorway bridge and forced them off the road at gunpoint.
The suspects held the family hostage, with one pointing a pistol at Saad while another kept the children at gunpoint, according to the FIR.
The third suspect allegedly took the woman behind some trees and sexually assaulted her.
Shah Shams Police Station has registered a case against unidentified suspects and launched an investigation.
Police have collected evidence from the crime scene, while forensic teams are examining it to help identify the suspects and establish the circumstances of the incident.
On the directions of the City Police Officer (CPO) Multan, geofencing of the crime scene and surrounding areas is also underway to trace the suspects.
Three special police teams have been formed to arrest those involved in the incident.
Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed the appeals filed by motorway rape convicts Abid Ali alias Malhi and Shafqat Ali alias Bagga against their convictions.
According to details, the LHC issued a detailed judgment rejecting the appeals against the convictions of the two men for raping a woman on the motorway.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Shahbaz Rizvi dismissed the appeals filed by Abid Malhi and Shafqat Bagga. The court ruled that forensic evidence strengthened the prosecution’s case and that DNA evidence directly linked the accused to the crime.
The court observed that granting undue leniency in serious crimes would be contrary to the demands of justice. It stated that minor discrepancies in evidence do not weaken the prosecution’s case, as there was a complete chain of evidence against the accused.
The court further stated that protecting women is essential for maintaining social trust. It noted that the truth cannot be concealed and that DNA evidence is irrefutable, while scientific evidence plays a crucial role in establishing facts.
It is worth mentioning that the Anti-Terrorism Court had sentenced both accused men to death on March 20, 2021. Abid Malhi and Shafqat Bagga had subsequently filed appeals in the Lahore High Court challenging their sentences.
LHC on Tuesday issued a detailed judgment upholding the death sentences awarded to two convicts in the high-profile 2020 Lahore-Sialkot Motorway gang-rape case.
The court ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved the charges against the convicts beyond a reasonable doubt through strong and credible ocular, medical, and forensic evidence.
Earlier, through a short order issued on June 3, 2026, a two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa had dismissed separate criminal appeals filed by convicts Abid Ali alias Malhi and Shafqat Ali alias Bagga against their convictions and sentences. The detailed verdict later explained the reasons behind the rejection of the appeals.
