There can be no ambiguity in Zainab case probe: CM

Says investigation-based facts must be used to prosecute accused

LAHORE: Creating any ambiguity over the Zainab murder case is tantamount to affecting investigations. Keeping in view the sensitive nature of this case; the media should fulfill its social responsibilities carefully, said Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif as he presided over a meeting of the cabinet’s subcommittee on law and order on Friday.

Addressing the meeting, the CM said that 100% investigation- based facts should be ensured over the Kasur incident.

“The JIT is working in a professional manner and there should be no room for any mistake or negligence in investigations.

The best professional capabilities should be utilised for investigations, he added. “Cruelty with Zainab in Kasur is a matter of concern for the whole nation and every person should fulfill their social responsibility to curb such incidents.” He added the JIT should be approached if anybody has clues about the case. The CM continued that the victim was the daughter of the nation and strenuous efforts were being made to bring the murderer to book.

“The arrest of the criminal was the result of the hard work of investigation teams as the cruelty meted out to Zainab had unnerved the entire nation. He said that record of State Bank, NADRA and other agencies would be solicited for investigations in the case.

He said Asma of Mardan was also the daughter of the nation and people were largely perturbed by the cruelty she had been exposed to. “The DNA test of Asma has been completed in the forensic lab record and we are ready for further cooperation.”

Provincial Minister Sardar Ayub Gadhi, Punjab Government Spokesman Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Advisor Rana Maqbool, chief secretary, inspector general police, Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory DG, Punjab advocate general, additional advocate general and other concerned persons attended the meeting. Provincial Minister Jehangir Khanzada from Attock and Director Banking & Regulations Department of State Bank Akhtar Javed participated through video link.



On Tuesday, just a day before the expiry of the Supreme Court’s three-day deadline, the Punjab Police had managed to arrest the man who allegedly abducted, raped and murdered the eight-year-old child in Kasur.

“The brute has been arrested. He is a serial killer,” Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced at a press conference at the CM Secretariat in Lahore at the time. Sitting alongside him was Zainab Ansari’s father.

Zainab went missing on January 4 and her body was found on a pile of garbage on January 9. The brutal rape and murder triggered angry protests in which two men were killed by police firing. Later, the SC had taken notice of the incident and on Sunday gave the police 72 hours to find any suspects.

Two large buttons on each shoulder of the suspect’s jacket turned out to be one of the decisive pieces of evidence that helped the investigators zero in on him, said a police official from the investigation team formed to probe the Kasur tragedy while speaking to the BBC Urdu on Wednesday.

The process involved investigating the entire population of Kasur district, which is 30,000,000, he said. The investigation team had to narrow down the population to 60,000-70,000 people excluding women and the elderly.

Out of them, around 1,100 had been checked for DNA, and it was the 814th DNA sample that matched with that of the killer.

Another interesting point the investigation team discussed was the jacket the man in the CCTV footage was wearing. The team analysed that the man was wearing a jacket with a button on the front side of each shoulder.

The investigation team also said that had the local police done their work efficiently, they would have caught the suspect well in advance. “Imran is not only a serial killer but a serial paedophile as well.”

Imran’s mother and a paternal uncle had doubts about him when they saw the CCTV footage of Zainab’s killer on TV, but never approached the police.

Earlier on Tuesday, Imran Ali was sent on a 14-day physical remand by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2018.