A Pakistani Court on Wednesday, 3 June, 2026 convicted two Pakistani men for raping a French tourist in front of her three children on a motorway near Lahore.
The duo will be executed after a court upheld their death sentences.
Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali were sentenced to death in 2021 after being found guilty of gang rape, kidnapping, robbery and terrorism-related offences linked to the September 2020 attack.
The convicts challenged the ruling, arguing that the prosecution’s account contained inconsistencies and that the verdict was unfair.
However, a two-member bench on Wednesday dismissed the appeal after prosecutors maintained that the evidence against the pair was overwhelming, according to Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
The attack occurred after the French woman and her three children became stranded on the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway when their vehicle ran out of fuel.
While waiting for assistance, she remained inside the car with the doors locked. The attackers reportedly smashed a window, dragged her out of the vehicle and raped her at gunpoint as her children watched.
The assailants also made away with cash, jewellery and bank cards before escaping from the scene.
Investigators said the victim, despite being severely traumatised, provided basic descriptions that assisted police in their search.
Authorities later traced the suspects through mobile phone records and arrested them within days of the incident.
Forensic analysis linked both men to the crime after DNA samples recovered from the scene matched their profiles.
The survivor later identified the suspects during court proceedings, while Ali reportedly confessed before a magistrate.
An anti-terrorism court fast-tracked the trial and handed down the death sentences in March 2021.
The case sparked outrage across Pakistan and generated widespread reactions on social media, with some campaigners calling for public executions of those responsible.
The incident also triggered nationwide protests after comments made by a senior police officer were widely criticised as victim-blaming.
A day after the attack, Lahore police official Umer Sheikh questioned why the woman had travelled on a less busy road while alone with her children.
His remarks drew condemnation from many Pakistanis, who accused him of shifting responsibility away from the attackers.
The court’s decision to uphold the death sentences comes amid growing calls from rights advocates for tougher punishment for sexual offenders.
Although cases of sexual violence against women remain a major concern in Pakistan, attacks involving foreign nationals are relatively uncommon.
Many victims do not report sexual crimes due to social stigma, while critics have long argued that weaknesses in investigations and the justice system allow offenders to avoid punishment.
According to Justice Project Pakistan, the country remains one of the world’s most active users of capital punishment.
Executions in Pakistan are carried out by hanging.
Source: Daily Mail
