Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk has praised Pakistan following a Lahore High Court (LHC) ruling that upheld the death sentences of two men convicted in the 2020 Lahore-Sialkot Motorway rape case.

Musk reacted to a post on X by British politician Rupert Lowe, who described the court’s decision as “some good news to come out of Pakistan.” Responding to the post, Musk wrote: “Bravo Pakistan! This is what we should be doing in the West.”

The comment came after a two-member LHC bench dismissed appeals filed by Abid Ali alias Malhi and Shafqat Ali alias Bagga against their convictions and sentences.

The bench, comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mehmood Bajwa, upheld the punishments awarded by an anti-terrorism court, including death sentences handed down in March 2021.

The convicts had challenged the verdict, arguing that the prosecution’s case contained inconsistencies and that the punishments imposed were excessive. During the proceedings, the prosecution maintained that the evidence against the accused was overwhelming and requested the court to sustain the convictions.

After reviewing the case record and hearing arguments from both sides, the court dismissed the appeals and maintained the original verdict.

The case sparked nationwide outrage in September 2020 when a woman was assaulted on the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway in the presence of her children after her vehicle ran out of fuel late at night.

The incident triggered widespread public anger across Pakistan and led to intense debate over law enforcement, public safety, and the official response to crimes against women.