Elon Musk has praised Pakistan’s judiciary after the Lahore High Court upheld the death sentences of two men convicted in the 2020 motorway gang-rape case that shocked the country and triggered nationwide debate over women’s safety.
Reacting on X, formerly Twitter, Musk wrote, “Bravo Pakistan! This is what we should be doing in the West,” after British MP James Rupert shared the news of the convicts’ appeals being dismissed and described it as “good news” from Pakistan.
Bravo Pakistan! This is what we should be doing in the West.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 3, 2026
The Lahore High Court upheld the death sentences of Abid Malhi and Shafqat Baga in the high-profile motorway gang-rape case.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa announced the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.
The bench rejected the appeals filed by the convicts and maintained all punishments previously awarded by the anti-terrorism court.
Musk says West should take similar approach
Elon Musk, described as the world’s richest person and a billionaire entrepreneur, reacted to the court ruling on social media. He said Pakistan’s decision reflected the kind of justice he believed Western countries should adopt for serious crimes.
His post came after British MP James Rupert shared the ruling and called it good news coming from Pakistan.
Case shook Pakistan
The case dates back to September 2020, when a French woman travelling with her children on the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway was attacked after her vehicle broke down.
The woman was assaulted by armed men in an incident that caused nationwide outrage and renewed public scrutiny of women’s safety, policing and law enforcement.
An FIR was registered at Gujjarpura Police Station in Lahore on September 9, 2020.
On March 20, 2021, Anti-Terrorism Court No. 1 Lahore sentenced Abid Malhi and Shafqat Baga to death for rape. The trial court also awarded both convicts 14 years in prison and imposed fines of Rs250,000 each for robbery.
They were further sentenced to life imprisonment for abducting the victim’s children. In addition, the court handed them five-year prison terms for damaging the victim’s vehicle.
The convicts challenged the anti-terrorism court’s verdict before the Lahore High Court on March 25, 2021.
Defence sought release of convicts
During the high court proceedings, lawyers representing the convicts argued that the trial court had failed to properly evaluate the facts of the case.
The defence also claimed that the trial court had not adequately considered their stance. The counsel requested the court to set aside the death sentences and order the release of the convicts.
Prosecution opposed appeals
Prosecutor Raheela Shahid opposed the appeals and argued that the anti-terrorism court had delivered a lawful and merit-based judgement. She maintained that substantial evidence was available against both convicts and urged the court to dismiss their appeals.
The Lahore High Court agreed with the prosecution’s arguments and upheld the trial court’s verdict.
Punjab Prosecutor General Farhad Ali Shah said at a press conference that bringing the case to its logical conclusion had been a major challenge for the state.
He credited the Prosecution Department for playing a vital role in securing punishment for the accused. According to him, the prosecution worked day and night to ensure that the convicts were punished.
According to prosecutors, the investigation began after the victim identified the accused. Investigators collected Abid Malhi’s DNA from the crime scene.
The second accused, Shafqat Baga, was arrested through call data records. Prosecutors said the evidence helped establish the case against both convicts.
All sentences maintained
The Lahore High Court maintained the death sentences awarded to both men for rape. It also upheld the additional prison terms and fines linked to robbery, abduction of the victim’s children and damage to her vehicle.
The ruling marks another major development in a case that remains one of Pakistan’s most widely discussed criminal justice and women’s safety matters.
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