ISLAMABAD – Motorway gangrape case set precedent in Pakistan’s legal response to heinous sexual assault crimes against women, with recent ruling once again drawing global attention. The decision echoed across international platforms after tech pioneer and world’s richest person, Elon Musk,publicly hailed verdict, sparking widespread discussion about justice and accountability in such cases.
A major international storm erupted on social media after billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk publicly reacted to Pakistan’s high-profile motorway gangrape case verdict, praising the country’s judiciary in a statement that quickly went viral.
The controversy started when British Member of Parliament Rupert Lowe shared news on X, calling a recent Pakistani court decision “some good news to come out of Pakistan.”
Tesla chief replied: “Bravo Pakistan! This is what we should be doing in the West.” The comment instantly triggered global debate across social media platforms, with users divided over his stance on justice, punishment, and legal systems.
Bravo Pakistan! This is what we should be doing in the West.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 3, 2026
The case in question stems from the shocking 2020 motorway gangrape incident in Pakistan, one of the country’s most widely reported and deeply disturbing criminal cases in recent years.
This week, Lahore High Court upheld death sentences of convicts Abid Malhi and Shafqat Bagga, rejecting their appeals and confirming the earlier ruling issued by an anti-terrorism court. The convicted men had argued that the prosecution’s case was inconsistent and failed to meet legal standards, urging the court to overturn their sentences. However, state prosecutors strongly countered these claims, insisting that the evidence, particularly forensic and DNA findings, was solid and conclusive.
LHC upheld the original verdict, maintaining the death sentences first issued in March 2021, along with additional punishments including life imprisonment.
The case dates back to September 9, 2020, when a Pakistani-origin woman living in France was traveling with her children along the Sialkot–Lahore Motorway. According to prosecution accounts, her vehicle ran out of fuel, leaving her stranded.
Investigators later said she was forcibly removed from the car and assaulted, with DNA and forensic analysis playing a key role in identifying and convicting the suspects.
LHC throws out appeals in Motorway Gang Rape Case, upholds Capital Punishment
