Zainab case: LHC disposes of plea demanding convict Imran's execution in public
The court said that the criminal has three forums to file his appeals.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday dismissed petition seeking execution of suspect Imran Ali, who raped and murder seven-year-old Zainab, in public.
The plea submitted by Ishtiaq Chaudhry stated that the convict should be hanged in public. The two-member bench headed by Justice Sadaqat Ali disposed of the petition, declaring it as premature.
The court said that the criminal has three forums to file his appeals. No action would be taken until the rejection of his pleas, it directed.
Earlier, Imran Ali had claimed innocence in the case and filed an appeal against Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) decision in LHC. He said that legal requirements were not ensured as the proceedings were concluded in hurry.
On February 17, ATC handed over four counts of death penalty to Imran while he was also given four separate death sentences after being convicted of the rape and murder of Zainab, as well as terrorism charges, prosecutor general of Punjab province Ihtesham Qadir said after a special anti-terrorism court passed its judgement.
The prosecutors said he received further life imprisonment and fines totalling 3.2 million rupees ($30,000) for additional charges of hiding his victim s body. The suspect can file an appeal against the decision within 15 days, he added.
One million rupees of the fine would be given in compensation to Zainab’s family, public prosecutor Abdul Rauf Wattoo said.
Seven-year-old Zainab went missing on January 4 on her way back to home from maternal aunt’s house. On January 8, her body was found in a garbage dump in the city of Kasur.
Zainab had marks of torture on nose, neck, and other parts of the body and was raped before murder, revealed medical report.
The guardians complained upon return from Umrah that the police did not cooperate with the relatives, who were looking for the missing minor.
