Imran Ali challenges conviction in Zainab rape, murder case

Imran Ali challenges conviction in Zainab rape, murder case

Lahore (Staff Report): Imran Ali, who was convicted for the rape and murder of 6-year-old Zainab, has filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) verdict.

An ATC on Saturday convicted Imran Ali for the rape and murder of 6-year-old minor. The appeal was submitted in the high court on Tuesday by jail officials in Ali's name. In the appeal, the convict claims to be not guilty.

An ATC on Saturday awarded four times death sentence to Imran Ali, the prime accused in Zainab murder and rape case.

Imran has been sentenced on four grounds—murdering a child, kidnapping a child, rape of a minor, and committing an unnatural act with a minor. He has also been sentenced for seven years with a fine of Rs1 million for desecrating the body of a minor.

The court had reserved its verdict on January 15 and announced in Kot Lakhpat jail on Saturday.

On Monday, the ATC indicted Imran Ali Naqshbandi, the prime accused, in Zainab rape and murder case.

ATC Judge Sajjad Ahmad indicted the suspect in the murder and rape case of Zainab , who was kidnapped from near her aunt’s house in Kasur on January 4 and found dead in a garbage heap five days later.

Punjab police arrested the main accused after his DNA matched the samples taken from the crime scene.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif said that if the law allows, the entire nation will request the court to permit the public hanging Zainab’s killer , Imran Ali, at any roundabout of Lahore or Kasur.

“It’s a request of the entire nation to the courts that if the law allows the convict should be hanged at any roundabout of Lahore or Kasur so that the entire world could see it,” Shehbaz said.