Tag: motorway incident

  • Motorway rape case culprits handed death sentence

    Motorway rape case culprits handed death sentence

    An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has handed two culprits in the motorway rape case – Abid Malhi and Shafqat Bagga – a death sentence. They have also been sentenced to prison for life and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 each.

    According to reports, the two have been sentenced to death for gang-raping a woman on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway in September 2020. The court, which had earlier reserved the verdict, announced it today at Lahore’s Camp Jail, where the trial took place.

    This is the first time that convicts in a gang-rape case have been handed death sentences.

    The court has also ordered to confiscate the two convicts’ properties.

    THE INCIDENT

    A woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am in September 2020.

    She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards.

    Read more – ‘We took her kids to the bushes to make her follow us,’ says man who gang-raped mother of three

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while Motorway Police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    The case had sparked outrage and protests across the country following which the government formulated the Anti-Rape Ordinance 2020, under which special courts will be set up across the country to expedite trials of rape cases on a priority basis and award harsher sentences, such as chemical castration.

  • Sanam Saeed’s ‘Ab Buss’ takes inspiration from the motorway gang-rape incident

    Sanam Saeed’s ‘Ab Buss’ takes inspiration from the motorway gang-rape incident

    A new short film by YouTube channel See Prime titled Ab Buss starring Sanam Saeed in the lead takes inspiration from the horrible Lahore Motorway gang-rape incident that shook the nation earlier this year.

    The short film, written by Shahid Dogar and directed by Mohsin Talat, sends out a strong message on the subject. The plot of the film revolves around a woman who is taking extreme precautions while preparing for a trip to visit her father.

    “She knows she’s done it before and she can do it again – Maya packs for an unexpected trip as she gets a phone call,” reads the film’s official synopsis.

    Sanam has been a vocal advocate for women’s safety and empowerment. Earlier in September, the actor also took Twitter to demand castration as punishment for rapists.

    “Why hang them when we can castrate them? Why let them go so easily when they can live with the pain, shame, and guilt without their genitals,” she had written.

    She had further asserted that there should be zero tolerance for such heinous acts.

  • Dr Shahbaz Gill hits out at Frieha Altaf, Sarwat Gilani, calls them ‘pathetic elite’

    Dr Shahbaz Gill hits out at Frieha Altaf, Sarwat Gilani, calls them ‘pathetic elite’

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill has hit out at Frieha Altaf and Sarwat Gilani, referring to them as ‘badbakht elite’ after a video of theirs on their way to the celebrity protest went viral on social media.

    In the video, Sarwat and Frieha are telling their followers that they are on their way to the protest to demand justice for the motorway gang-rape victim and show a poster which reads ‘Rapped’ instead of ‘Raped’.

    Besides Dr Gill, several other social media users have called out the actors for being insensitive.

    Some social media users also directly called out Altaf and reminded users of problematic things she has done in the past.

    While Frieha and Sarwat are yet to respond to Dr Gill’s comments, Sarwat earlier clarified that a second protest was held because “a lot of celebrities were busy with work on the first protest’s date, [so] we decided to get out a day when most of us were available.” According to details, the protest was organised by Yasir Hussain, Frieha Altaf and Asim Jofa.

    Sarwat has now made her Twitter account private and only those who follow her can view her tweets.

    Meanwhile, fashion designer Maheen Khan, who was also part of the protest, also responded to some users who questioned why the celebrities felt the need to organise a separate protest. She also addressed the allegations that they hijacked the transgender’s protest.

    Other celebrities present at the protest include Mahira Khan, Sarah Khan, Ayesha Omar, Adnan Siddiqui, Ali Rehman Khan, Aijaz Aslam, Bushra Ansari, Anoushey Abbasi and Gul-e-Rana.

  • ‘Motorway rapists left Rs1,000 on dashboard of survivor’s car, which was for police bringing petrol’

    ‘Motorway rapists left Rs1,000 on dashboard of survivor’s car, which was for police bringing petrol’

    Journalist Fereeha Idrees, who has extensively been covering the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway gang-rape case and is also reportedly in contact with the survivor, has made a shocking revelation that has added to people’s doubts regarding the alleged involvement of law enforcement in the incident.

    Speaking to The Current during a live session on Monday night and separately to a private media outlet, Fereeha revealed that one of the accused left Rs1,000 on the dashboard of the survivor’s vehicle. The amount was meant for police upon their arrival at the spot after she had called the emergency helpline when her car ran out of fuel en route Gujranwala at midnight.

    The journalist quoted the survivor as saying that when she reached the toll plaza, she paid toll tax and asked for the nearest petrol station. “After covering some distance, her car ran out of fuel and she called the motorway helpline. They apologised but gave her the local number.”

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Over the phone, a person sought her exact location via WhatsApp and then asked her to wait, she said.

    Further quoting the victim, Fereeha said the woman was also asked as to how much petrol did she need, to which she requested for fuel worth Rs1,000. “She then waited for over an hour and a half before she was attacked and later raped in nearby fields off the main road.”

    When the woman was found by the police and her belongings were retrieved, eyewitnesses say there was a Rs1,000 currency note on the dashboard, Fereeha said and added that it was left by the attackers.

    “Apparently, the attackers wished that she would go home and not tell anyone. But is it a coincidence that she had said she needed fuel for at least Rs1,000 to reach home and that was exactly the amount the attackers left behind?”

    Did one of them go back to put it there as they took her purse with them?

    THE INCIDENT:

    A woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am.

    She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards. 

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while Motorway Police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    Amid a strong reaction by the public and countrywide protests, at least one of the two culprits has surrendered. His co-accused is still at large.

  • Criminals like motorway rapists should be hanged at public squares: PM Imran

    Criminals like motorway rapists should be hanged at public squares: PM Imran

    Senior journalist and analyst Dr Moeed Pirzada has quoted Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan as saying that criminals such as those involved in the Lahore-Sialkot motorway gang-rape should be hanged at public squares.

    According to the journalist, the premier made the statement while speaking to him during an interview that will air tonight (Monday) on 92 News.

    “PM Imran Khan thinks that criminals like the ‘motorway rapists’ should be hanged at public squares; watch an explosive discussion with PM Imran Khan, in Hard Talk Pakistan, 92 News, 8:03 pm tonight,” Pirzadatweeted.

    The interview comes days after a mother of three was raped by two men after her car ran out of fuel on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway past midnight.

    As per the details, the woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am. She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards. 

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while motorway police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    Amid a strong reaction by the public and countrywide protests, at least one of the two culprits has been identified.

    PUBLIC HANGINGS:

    While a number of people are demanding public hanging of the accused such as sought for serial child rapist and killer Imran Ali of Kasur, the premier’s belief contradicts that of federal science and technology minister and his government’s former spokesperson, Fawad Chaudhry.

    A day earlier, Fawad had said that calls for hanging and burning the rapists alive from prominent members of his party and the educated faction were a reflection of the society’s violent thinking.

    The minister’s comments had come after two members of the ruling party, namely Senator Faisal Javed and Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, called for extreme punishments for those behind the gang-rape and the rape and murder of minor Marwah in Karachi.

  • Bushra Ansari urges Maulana Tariq Jamil to break silence over motorway gang-rape

    Bushra Bashir, formerly known as Bushra Ansari, has urged Maulana Tariq Jamil to break his silence over the motorway gang rape and hold a ‘dharna‘ or ‘ihtejaj‘ (protest) in this regard.

    In a social media post, the actor wrote: “Thinking what to ask and what to think.”

    “Just want the rapist to be alive, not to be hanged. They should live the rest of their lives, with the pain and helplessness with broken legs broken arms and without the organs which destroy women and their souls,” she continued.

    “I demand and strongly demand to cut and throw their sickness tools and make them impotent and break their legs and hands so that they just become a symbol for all others who are going to do this today tomorrow or day after. Because they will keep doing this until they don’t see these results,” said the actor, adding that they should be made an example out of.

    Bashir then went onto say that she has had enough.

    “Islam ki bohat [baatein] karty hain toh practical banain. Aankh k badly aankh, toh izzat or zilat k badley zilat.”

    Addressing Maulana Tariq Jamil, Bushra said: “Please Maulana Tariq Jameel, koi dharna, koi ihtejaj aap bhi toh karain. Aap ki yahaan bohat zuroorat hai. Boliye please.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFEGUS9hkmu/

    Read more – Bushra Ansari lashes out at fan for criticising her drama ‘Zebaish’

    Later the actor also said that those who are protecting the criminals should also be punished for doing so.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFFM1cEBkVD/

    Meanwhile, as per the latest reports, the police have identified one of the suspects behind the gruesome incident that shook the nation. The individual, namely Abid Ali is a resident of Haroonabad town of Punjab’s Bahawalnagar district, is a proclaimed offender, and has been nominated in multiple cases earlier as well. While Ali is still at large, the other suspect identified by the Punjab government Waqarul Hassan reportedly surrendered himself on Sunday at Lahore’s Model Town police station. He claimed that his brother-in-law was using the mobile phone which had wrongly implicated him in the crime, adding that he himself was not involved. The police have said that they will conclude the matter after they receive the DNA report of the suspect.

  • Khalil ur Rehman Qamar called a ‘hypocrite’ after he attends protest for motorway rape victim

    Khalil ur Rehman Qamar called a ‘hypocrite’ after he attends protest for motorway rape victim

    Social media users are calling Khalil ur Rehman Qamar a “hypocrite” after he was spotted at the protest in Lahore held to demand justice for the motorway rape victim.

    According to details, Qamar was also called out by a member of the civil society Husnain Jamil Faridi while he was addressing local media channels, the clip of which has gone viral on social media. Netizens lauded Faridi for bashing Qamar and hit out at the writer for his misogynistic comments.

    Khalil ur Rehman Qamar has been at the receiving end of criticism and hate ever since he publicly abused journalist Marvi Sirmed on live television, back in March.

    ICYMI, a few days before the Aurat March, Qamar and Marvi were invited to be a part of a panel discussion on Neo TV’s show Aaj Ayesha Ehtesham Kay Saath. The topic of discussion was a petition against the Aurat March in the Lahore High Court (LHC). The petition, which had called the march “un-Islamic” with a “hidden agenda to spread vulgarity”, had been dismissed by the court that said it couldn’t be banned under the law of the land. Qamar while speaking against the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi‘ launched a tirade against Sirmed when she murmured the same as he was talking. He hurled expletives her way and abused her on live television. The TV channel was later fined Rs500,000 (0.5 million) for airing Qamar’s abusive and misogynistic remarks.

    Meanwhile, as per the latest reports, the police have identified one of the suspects behind the gruesome incident that shook the nation. The individual, namely Abid Ali is a resident of Haroonabad town of Punjab’s Bahawalnagar district, is a proclaimed offender, and has been nominated in multiple cases earlier as well. While Ali is still at large, the other suspect identified by the Punjab government Waqarul Hassan reportedly surrendered himself on Sunday at Lahore’s Model Town police station. He claimed that his brother-in-law was using the mobile phone which had wrongly implicated him in the crime, adding that he himself was not involved. The police have said that they will conclude the matter after they receive the DNA report of the suspect.

  • ‘We want answers’, Mahira Khan tells PM Imran

    ‘We want answers’, Mahira Khan tells PM Imran

    Following the harrowing Motorway Rape Incident and growing intolerance towards Shias in Sindh, Mahira Khan penned a note saying that she stands with the “Shias of my country”, the “women of this country” and “against anything that goes against the basic foundation of this country”.

    Addressing Prime Minister Imran Khan, Mahira said: “We all want answers. Answers for women being raped, for those in power victim shaming, for minorities being called kaafir.”

    “We want answers,” asserted the actor.

    Read more – Coronavirus: Atif Aslam, Mahira Khan appreciate PM Khan for his efforts

    Besides Mahira, several other celebrities including Feroze Khan, Imran Abbas and Farhan Saeed have urged PM Imran to take strict action and make an example out of those involved in the motorway gang-rape.

    https://twitter.com/ImranAbbas/status/1304290321157758976?s=20

    Meanwhile, Asim Azhar told PM Khan that he’s “afraid our country is coming to a point where being from a particular sect can end your life.”

  • Gang-rape that shook Pakistan

    Gang-rape that shook Pakistan

    On Wednesday, a woman was gang-raped in front of her children on the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway. This incident has shaken the entire country. The details of the incident are so horrific that the women of this country are feeling unsafe, especially after the shocking statement made by CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh. Mr Sheikh had the unbelievable audacity to tell the rape survivor that she should not have driven so late at night, she should have taken the busier GT Road instead of the stranded motorway and that she should have checked her car’s fuel tank before leaving the house. As if this was not enough, CCPO Lahore went on numerous channels to defend his statement, say that the survivor thought this was France and not Pakistan where society is different. And to add insult to injury, several ministers and cabinet members came to his defence.

    SAPM Shahzad Akbar stood by the CCPO’s side at a press conference and also said his statement was being turned into a controversy unnecessarily. Planning Minister Asad Umar went on to ask that should the CCPO be removed for a bad statement when he has not done anything illegal. Rallies were taken out all over the country on Saturday, asking for the removal of CCPO Lahore. He has shown zero remorse and he sounds extremely confident that he is going nowhere. While the CCPO has been issued a show-cause notice for his remarks about the rape survivor by the IG Punjab, the question remains: why has he not been removed yet? Even if his appointment was political, the government should have removed him to make the women of this country feel safe.

    CCPO Lahore’s statement has made each and every woman of this country feel unprotected and his casual sexism has laid bare the mindset prevalent in the police force about rape survivors. No wonder then that women who are raped do not report these crimes. When the police chief of the country’s second largest city is so dismissive of rape incidents, when he blames the survivor for an attack that could have been prevented with better policing and timely help, when many men on our televisions screens and online spaces are actually saying he said nothing wrong and this is what we were also thinking, how does it make a woman feel? In Punjab alone, there have been at least 2,043 registered cases of rape and 111 cases of gang rape this year. And these are the reported cases. What about those cases that are not reported because women and their families are afraid of the misogynist police mentality?

    When the government stands by a man who thinks women should not step out at night, it means that the government is protecting a misogynist. It gives a clear message to the women of Pakistan: you are on your own, we cannot protect you. Unless and until the CCPO is not removed, the police force will not change its mindset when it comes to violence against women and gender-based crimes. 

  • Feroze Khan lashes out at Bakhtawar, asks her ‘are you finally waking up’

    Feroze Khan has lashed out Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari and asked her what her party has been doing “in power all these years”.

    Responding to a tweet of Bakhtawar’s, in which she discussed the motorway rape incident and why Pakistan needs sex education, Feroze said, “Are you finally waking up?”

    In a later tweet, Feroze also remarked that he does not think of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari “a suitable politician”.

    Feroze has been actively speaking up on matters of social interest. Earlier, when Karachi was flooded and underwater, Feroze called out PPP and the Sindh Government for being incompetent.

    Meanwhile, Feroze is urging Prime Minister Imran Khan to take strict action over the motorway rape incident.

    “I will always count on your statement that Pakistan will be ‘Riasat-e-Madina’,” wrote Feroze on social media. “I have major hope in you. This is the time you can do it. Please I beg you it’s the little that needs attention the big will all fall in place itself. Please help the voiceless please help the weak, please kill the monsters.”

    “I assure you the youth is with you if you step up and just put these guys to their place people have way too many hopes in you there needs to be rapid action please,” he said further.

    As per the latest reports, the police have revealed the identity of one of the suspects behind the gruesome incident that shook the nation. The individual, namely Abid Ali and a resident of Haroonabad town of Punjab’s Bahawalnagar district, is a proclaimed offender and has been nominated in multiple cases earlier as well. However, his accomplice is still unidentified and both the suspects are at large.