ATC records statements of five witnesses in motorway rape case

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday recorded the statements of five more prosecution witnesses during the hearing of motorway gang rape case in jail.

Deputy Prosecutor General Hafiz Asghar told APP that the court recorded the statements of two forensic experts, two judicial magistrates and a police sub-inspector.

The defence counsel also completed cross-examination of four witnesses during the proceedings on Saturday. The court adjourned further proceedings till March 8. ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta conducted the case hearing at Camp Jail, wherein the jail authorities produced Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali, prime accused and co-accused.

Deputy Prosecutor General Hafiz Asghar and Deputy Prosecutor General Waqar Bhatti represented the prosecution whereas advocates Sher Gull Qureshi and Qasim Arain appeared on behalf of the accused.

The court had recorded the statements of 23 prosecution witnesses after the accused denied the charges on being indicted.

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

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

Police had also submitted a list of 53 witnesses. On Sept 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 was lodged under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).