LHC seeks Zainab case record from jailer

Convict pleads not guilty, saying trial conducted in haste

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent to present the case record and a report on an appeal by Imran Ali against his conviction in rape and murder case of seven-year-old Zainab of Kasur.

The bench, headed by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, was hearing an appeal of the convict whom the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) had awarded death sentence on four counts.



Meanwhile Haji Amin, father of deceased Zainab, was also present along with his counsel Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhary.

From the prosecution side, Additional Prosecutor General Abdul Samad also appeared before the court.

Advocate Asad Jamal, counsel for Ali, pleaded the court to give him more weeks for preparation of his case. However, the bench gave him one week to argue on next Tuesday, observing that otherwise the convict would be provided state counsel. The court adjourned hearing until March 20.

In his appeal, the convict pleaded not guilty and claimed the trial was conducted in haste and legal requirements were not fulfilled during the trial. He asked the court to set aside the ATC's verdict.

It may be mentioned here that the trial court had awarded him punishment on the basis of forensic, material and circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution in addition to the confession made by the convict.

The brutal rape and murder of Zainab had sparked outrage and protests across the country.

Thousands of people took to the streets while two people lost their lives during the protests in Kasur. On social media ‘Justice For Zainab’ was the slogan of everyone while people from different walks of life demanded immediate arrest of the culprit.

Zainab went missing on January 4 and her body was found on a heap of garbage near her house on January 9.



The public demand for immediate arrest of the culprit resulted in an unprecedented search in which almost all law enforcement and intelligence agencies took part and a large pool of suspects was probed, besides carrying out DNA profiling of more than 1,100 people.

On January 23, police took Ali into custody and secured his 16-day physical remand for investigation. On February 9, police submitted challan to the ATC and charged him for rape and serial killing of minor girls, including Zainab’s.