News Desk
FAISALABAD: The Supreme Court has ruled that rape and the act of making a video of the crime viral on social media are two distinct offences, each subject to independent investigation, trial, and punishment.
The landmark decision came in the case of a medical student in Faisalabad, where separate FIRs had been filed for the rape and for circulating the video of the incident online. The court clarified that while both cases arise from the same incident, they are legally separate and may result in multiple punishments for the accused.
The court rejected an application that sought to consolidate the trials, stating that the precedent set in the Sughran Bibi case—where two FIRs could not be registered for the same incident—does not apply when a video of the crime is recorded and shared on social media. Justice Salahuddin Panhwar noted that combining cases is a discretionary power of the trial court and not a mandatory legal requirement.
The judgement also confirmed that separate investigations could be conducted by different institutions, fully in line with the law. The accused had argued for merging the cases, but the Supreme Court allowed both trials to proceed independently.
Witness protection and trial conduct
The Supreme Court introduced new directives to safeguard witnesses during court proceedings. It made it mandatory to provide chairs in the witness dock, emphasizing that forcing witnesses to stand for extended periods violates human dignity and the constitutional right to a fair trial.
The court also addressed potential misuse of cross-examination, cautioning against irrelevant or humiliating questions designed to exhaust witnesses. Judges were directed to remain active observers during cross-examination to ensure fairness and prevent abuse of process.
Following the ruling, the Supreme Court ordered the Registrar to send copies of the judgement to all high courts, ensuring that the legal principles are implemented nationwide.
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