A court in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore has handed death sentence to a man, Imran Ali Naqashbandi, who was found guilty of raping and murdering Zainab, a seven-year old girl, whose gruesome death last month outraged the nation.
Zainab’s body was found on January 9 in a rubbish dump in the city of Kasur, some 50 kilometers in south of Lahore, the seat of ruling PML-N that faced huge media and public pressure to bring the culoprit to justice.
The suspect pleaded guilty to raping and killing eight minor girls in Kasur.
A total of 56 witnesses including Zainab’s uncle and brother recorded their statements against the suspect. The prosecutor informed the court that the forensic report and polygraph test proved that Imran murdered Zainab.
Protests broke out after discovery of Zainab’s body in Kasur, Photo: Screenshot/SAMAA TV
Imran Ali has been sentenced for kidnapping, rape, murder and an act of terrorism, a life sentence for unnatural offense and a fine of Rs 3.2 million, Punjab Prosecutor General Ehtisham Qadir said.
He now has 15 days to appeal against the verdict.
Police and the provincial government protests and criticism for their apathy. Zainab’s family say the police did not act during the five days from when she was reported missing and her body was found. Moreover, it were the relatives who recovered CCTV footage of her last movements that show how the girl being led away by a man.
