KARACHI: A sessions court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment in a case pertaining to the kidnapping and rape of a teenage girl.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (Malir) Syed Ghous Ali Shah Jillani found Muhammad Kaleem guilty and sentenced him on two counts: 10-year imprisonment under Section 364-A (kidnapping or abducting a person under 14 years) and life term under Section 376 (rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

“This case presents a tragic instance of abuse of trust and commission of heinous sexual violence against a young girl. The accused, Muhammad Kaleem, who had social and business interactions with the victim’s family, exploited the trust placed in him to perpetrate acts of extreme violence and violation against the victim,” the court observed.

It added: “The victim in this case has shown remarkable courage in coming forward, reporting the assault, undergoing medical examination, and testifying in court despite the social stigma and trauma associated with sexual violence.”

Judge hopes conviction will provide rape survivor ‘some measure of justice and closure’

“This court commends her bravery and hopes that the conviction in this case will provide her some measure of justice and closure. The sentence of life imprisonment reflects the gravity of the offence and serves the purposes of both punishment and deterrence,” the judge observed.

The court imposed a fine of Rs500,000. It also directed the convict to pay Rs1 million as compensation to the survivor, and in the event of default, he would serve additional imprisonment.

According to state prosecutor Kashif Noor Khan, on March 29, 2021, the accused forcibly took the survivor from her home in Saadi Town, drove her to a desolate location and subjected her to sexual assault, including forcible rape.

He added that the survivor’s testimony, corroborated by medical evidence of sexual trauma and the circumstances of her recovery from the accused’s custody, fully supported the prosecution’s case.

“The accused initially attempted to justify his custody of the victim by falsely claiming marriage, demonstrating consciousness of guilt. All of these circumstances, when viewed together, lead to the irresistible conclusion that the accused committed rape upon the victim,” the court noted.

Highlighting lacunas in the probe, the court noted that the investigation in this case was marred by procedural irregularities and negligence, particularly in the preservation and timely forwarding of forensic evidence. These investigative failures do not benefit the accused when the substantive evidence of guilt is otherwise established, it added.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2025