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LHC Rejects Plea For Public Execution of Zainab’s Murderer

Lahore (October 16, 2018): The Lahore High Court on Tuesday rejected a plea seeking public hanging of convict Imran, who is set to be executed on October 17, for the rape and murder of seven-year-old Zainab.

A two-member bench of the LHC, comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan, heard the plea for Imran’s public execution which was filed by Zainab’s father Haji Ameen. The provincial home secretary, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Amjad Javed Saleemi, and convict Imran had been made respondents to the plea.

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As the LHC heard the plea today, the counsel of Zainab’s father, Ishtiaq Chaudhry, argued, “A public execution can be carried out as per Section 22 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.”

The court, however, rejected the plea and said, “Read Section 22. It states that this is the government’s domain and we are not the government.”Imran, who was awarded 21 death sentences in the case, will be executed on October 17 at the Central Jail in Lahore.

Earlier on October 15, The Lahore High Court has issued notices to the Punjab government and other respondents on a petition filed by Amin Ansari, father of seven-year-old Zainab, seeking court directives for the public hanging of his daughter’s murderer.

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The petitioner submitted that convict Imran Ali, who will be hanged till death on Oct 17, could be executed publicly under Section 22 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.It is worth mentioning here that Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), while issuing the death warrants of Imran Ali on October 12, had ordered to hang him till death on October 17 at Central Jail in Lahore.

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On February 2017, Imran was handed four separate death sentences after being convicted of the rape and murder of Zainab.

He further received life imprisonment and fine totalling 3.2 million rupees ($30,000) for additional charges of hiding the victim’s body. One million rupees of the fine was also decided to be given in compensation to Zainab’s family.

On June 12, Supreme Court (SC) had turned down Imran’s plea against the death sentence.Zainab was found dead in a skip on January 9, 2017, in Kasur district near Lahore several days after her disappearance.

Imran was arrested two weeks after he committed the crime that ignited nationwide protests. Taking suo moto notice, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) ordered the concerned authorities to submit the report within 24 hours.

The rape and murder of Zainab Ansari was the 12th such case in Kasur district in the last year.

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LHC Seeks Replies On Plea For Public Hanging of Zainab’s Killer