An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday allowed police to record the confessional statement of Shafqat, one of the two key suspects in the Lahore-Sialkot motorway gang rape case. An application seeking permission to record the statement of the suspect under Section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was filed with the ATC. According to police, the suspect expressed willingness to record his statement. After an initial hearing, the court allowed the plea, directing the police to record his statement. On October 28, the Anti-Terrorism Court had extended physical remand of Shafqat. Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta had directed the investigation officer (IO) of the case to produce the suspect before it on expiry of his remand along with a report detailing progress thus far made in investigation against him. The IO requested a 15-day extension in his remand, stating that his custody is required for further investigation as looted cash and other valuables are yet to be recovered from him. On September 9, a woman along with her children was waiting for help on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after her car ran out of fuel when she was forcefully brought out of the car at gunpoint and gang-raped in Gujjarpura area on the outskirts of the provincial capital. The bench issued arrest warrants for the absconding accused. A court had awarded 10-year jail term to four accused in a 2017 verdict.
