LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday reserved its verdict in the motorway gang-rape case against Abid Malhi and Shafqat Bagga after the defence completed its arguments.

Presiding Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta would announce his verdict on March 20 in camp jail.

Gujjarpura Police had lodged the FIR under sections 376, 392 and 427 of Pakistan Penal Code and section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The suspects had sexually assaulted a Pakistan origin French woman that stopped during the late night travel on the motorway after fuel ran out.

The prosecution presented 53 witnesses including the survivor, the complainant of the FIR and the person who reported the incident on police emergency helpline.

The rape survivor recorded her statement and also identified the suspects in the jail.

The suspects however denied the charges.

The police had recovered a pistol and a club, used in the crime, from the custody of the suspects besides a recovery of their mobile phones. The prime suspect, Malhi, had snatched cash over Rs 100,000 from the victim.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021