SC summons team probing Zainab murder case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Tuesday summoned the investigation team probing the murder of 7-year old Zainab whose body was found in a trash heap on January 11 in Kasur.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, which heard the suo moto notice case, observed that the accused behind Zainab's murder was a serial killer.

The chief justice expressed annoyance over the Punjab Police for failure to arrest the accused and remarked that the entire nation was grieved over the death of the minor girl. It was duty of the police to conduct effective investigations, he added.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar noted that the gap between the judiciary and the police must be bridged so that accused should not be let free because of the latter's mistakes.

During the course of proceedings, Punjab Additional Inspector General (AIG) Abubakar Khuda Buksh apprised the court that Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz could not appear due to official work. He assured the court that the culprit responsible for Zainab's death will be arrested.

The AIG said a serial killer was behind all the rape and murder cases in Kasur. The police had taken DNA samples of some 400 suspects, which did not match with that of the victim.

The chief justice sought an assurance from the police that the criminal would be captured alive and not killed in any encounter. “It will be the failure of the police and the government, if the accused were not held,” he added.

The apex court barred the Lahore High Court from further proceedings into a suo moto notice taken by the LHC chief justice and adjourned the case till January 20.