The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday continued hearing appeals filed by two convicts sentenced to death in the high-profile Sialkot-Lahore Motorway rape case, with prosecutors set to present their arguments at the next hearing.

A division bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mehmood Bajwa heard the appeals filed by convicts Abid Malhi and Shafqat Bagga, who have challenged the death sentences awarded to them by an anti-terrorism court.

During the proceedings, defence counsel completed their arguments before the court. The prosecution requested additional time to prepare and present its submissions. Accepting the request, the bench adjourned the hearing until Wednesday.

The case relates to a shocking incident that occurred on September 9, 2020, when a Pakistan-origin French woman was attacked while travelling with her three minor children on the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway. According to investigators, her vehicle ran out of fuel during a late-night journey, after which the attackers allegedly dragged her from the car and committed the crime in front of her children.

An anti-terrorism court on March 20, 2021 sentenced both convicts to death and also handed down life imprisonment and other prison terms under various provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Investigators said police recovered a pistol, a club and mobile phones linked to the accused. Authorities were also able to trace the suspects through DNA evidence that matched samples collected from the crime scene.

The Lahore High Court will now hear the prosecution's arguments before proceeding further with the appeals against the convictions and sentences.