Justice for Zainab: Protests continue in Kasur

LAHORE: Kasur is boiling with anger as the stick wielding protesters took to streets blocking roads forcing and enforcing market closures for the second consecutive day on Thursday.

Seven-year-old Zainab was laid to rest amid scenes of mourning and tears on Wednesday night as hundreds of thousand people attended the funeral prayer of fairy-like innocent girl.

Despite all the tall claims, the police have not been able to nab the man who was seen taking her along in the CCTV video.

Protests broke out in the city soon after the body of seven-year old girl, who went missing last week, was found dumped in a trash pile. It is the 12th such incident of the same nature in Kasur, in which minor girls were molested and murdered after abduction. Culprits, involved in any of these incidents, have not been apprehended.

Protesters took to streets, forcing closure of markets and setting many vehicles on fire. Two people were reported killed during the clashes with police when a group of protesters stormed the office of Deputy Commissioner.

Meanwhile, two separate First Information Reports (FIRs), on the behalf of Kashif Imran and Rizwan Ahmad, have been registered against police personnel over opening fire on the protesters.

The incident has sparked outrage across the country. Politicians, celebrities and sportsmen took to social media to condemn the shocking incident, demanding justice and raising questions over the government's failure to punish the culprits, aiders, abetters of the 2015 Kasur child abuse case as well as abysmal protection of minors in the region.

According to details, forensic examination of the body has confirmed that the girl identified as Zainab was raped before being killed.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and has sought report from the authorities and constituted a joint investigation team to probe the issue.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar has taken the suo moto notice of Zainab’s brutal rape and murder, ordering Inspector General Punjab (IGP) to submit the report in next 24 hour in this connection.

Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa has strongly condemned cold blooded murder of minor girl Zainab in Kasur, and directed immediate all out support to civil administration to arrest the criminals and bringing them to exemplary justice.

Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai has condemned cold blooded murder of minor girl Zainab in Kasur, saying she was heartbroken to hear about Zainab.