Two men have been jailed for life for luring a homeless 10-year-old girl into a car and gang-raping her in Pakistan. Ghulam Rasool and Muhammad Khalid were found guilty of kidnapping and assaulting the child in October 2022.
Crime and sentencing
The men were sentenced to life behind bars and ordered to pay 500,000 rupees (£3,880) in compensation alongside a 200,000 rupee (£1,553) fine. The assailants kidnapped the 10-year-old from outside a superstore in the seaside neighbourhood of Clifton on October 23, 2022, after offering to provide her with rations.
After she got in the car, they drove to a secluded spot near Sea View beach before taking it in turns to rape her, state prosecutor Irfana Qadri said.
Victim's account and evidence
The 10-year-old told a sessions court that she was standing outside an Imtiaz store when the white Alto vehicle pulled up beside her and tempted her in, reports The News PK. She said the two men dropped her off where they had picked her up after the assault, where she recounted the ordeal to her mother, who rushed her to hospital.
Judge Abdul Zahoor said DNA from the scene further confirmed the account, describing it as "the strongest piece of evidence, scientifically linking both accused to the crime". He added: "The victim's testimony is credible and corroborated by her mother's prompt disclosure."
Gang-rape conviction
Judge Zahoor said that while the charge was framed against both men as a rape offence, their acts "fall within the definition of gang-rape" and dealt the convictions accordingly.
