Zainab murder case: LHC rejects appeal to publicly execute Imran Ali

Appeal rejected by a division bench of the LHC

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition calling for the public hanging of convicted rapist and murderer Imran Ali.

The appeal was moved by Zainab's father, Haji Amin, in the hopes that it would set an example and protect the lives of other children.



Imran is scheduled to be hanged in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail on October 17. He was convicted of raping and murdering Zainab and other minor girls.

The lawyer arguing against the petition quoted a Supreme Court judgement that says public executions are against the norms of human dignity.

The appeal was rejected by a division bench of the LHC, headed by Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan, and clears the way for authorities to execute black warrants of Imran in accordance with the law.

The petitioner had prayed upon the court citing permission to do so in the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.



Also booked for rape and murder of 12 other minors, Imran was convicted in February after being identified through DNA tests and was sentenced to death on one count, 25 years of imprisonment on two counts. In other cases, Imran was awarded death sentence on four counts and life imprisonment on one count. The sentence was awarded by Judge Ahmad.

Zainab was abducted on January 4 from near her aunt’s house in Kasur. Her body was recovered from a heap of garbage near her house five days later, sparking widespread protests in which two people also died because of the police firing.