Zainab case: Imran confesses before court of raping, murdering seven Kasur girls

LAHORE: Imran Ali, the accused in Zainab murder case Tuesday confessed before the anti-terrorism court of raping and murdering Zainab and six other girls of Kasur.

The court adjourned the case hearing after recording statements of all 33 prosecution witnesses. The accused has confessed to murdering and raping Ayesha Asif aged 7, body found on January 7, 2017, Iman Fatima, 7, body recovered on February 24, 2017, Noor Fatima,7, April 11, 2017, Laiba Saleem, 7, body found on July 8, 2017, Zainab Amin, 7, body found on January 4, 2017 and others. It has been learnt that the accused confessed in detail that how he lured minor girls, locations of their rape and dumping sites.

In previous hearings, the ATC prosecutor Abdul Rauf Wattoo had informed the court that evidence has been collected including CCTV footage, DNA test, polygraph test, accused’s clothes and other things. As per police investigation, Imran took Zainab to an under construction house where he raped and killed her and later dropped her body at a dumping site near her house.

Zainab was kidnapped from near her aunt’s house in Kasur on January 4. Her body was recovered from a garbage heap five days later. The public demand for immediate arrest of the culprit resulted in an unprecedented search in which almost all law-enforcing and secret agencies took part and a large pool of suspects were probed, besides carrying out DNA profiling of more than 1100 people. It is pertinent to mention that in Iman Fatima rape and murder case Punjab police had already killed Mudassir in a fake encounter.

Monitoring report adds: A total of 26 witnesses will record their statements today (Wednesday) before the anti-terrorism court hearing the Zainab murder case, Geo News reported.

The ATC is holding the trial inside Kot Lakhpat Jail, where the primary suspect Imran Ali is jailed on remand.

Punjab Prosecutor General Ehtesham Qadir is assisting the ATC according to the orders of the superior courts. Moreover, the prosecution department is expected to complete the cross-examination of the witnesses as well. A total of 56 witnesses have been named in the case. On Monday, ATC judge Sajjad Ahmad had indicted Imran and recorded the statements of 20 witnesses.