The Lahore sessions court has sentenced Saifullah to 14 years in prison along with a hefty fine of Rs. 1 million after finding him guilty in a rape case registered under the Anti Rape Act, Express News reported. The verdict was announced by the Additional Sessions Judge, Zafarzab Chadhar, who also issued a written judgment detailing the evidence and witness statements that led to the accused’s conviction.
The incident had taken place in 2024, when the accused had allegedly called a young woman identified as A in the court documents into his shop in the city’s Raiwind area and sexually assaulted her. The case was subsequently registered at the City Raiwind Police Station under the Anti Rape Act.
The court, in its ruling, observed that crimes of this nature not only harm the victims but also create a sense of fear and insecurity in society; hence, a stern punishment has been imposed. The court has also directed the authorities to ensure the fine is recovered in accordance with the law. Failure to pay the fine would result in an additional term of imprisonment.
Rape cases are not new to Pakistan’s courts; however, among the registered cases, the conviction rate is as low as 3.6 per cent, as reported in a case study in 2022. The Anti Rape Act of 2021 is an attempt to curb the growing number of cases. It was issued to ensure that these cases are dealt with care under special investigation teams and special courts providing a speedy trial. Under the act, anti rape crisis cells were established to provide a safe reporting for the victim. These crisis cells ensure that a medico-legal examination is done and an FIR is registered.
