Zainab's father files petition seeking protection for family

Seeking security from Zainab's murderer Imran Ali's family, father of the seven-year-old girl has filed a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday.

Zainab's father Amin Ansari submitted a plea in the SC, stating that Imran's family was harassing him and his family and that he needed security. Ansari also demanded the arrest of Imran's facilitators, local media reported. Ansari is expected to appear before the Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar today.

ATC awards death sentence to Zainab’s killer

On February 17, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had awarded four counts of death sentence to Imran. He had also been slapped with a fine, one life-term and a 7-year-jail term. However, Imran later challenged the death sentence given by ATC in Lahore High Court. In his petition, the accused had claimed that the ATC had made the decision in haste and that he was not guilty.

Zainab had been kidnapped from her aunt's house in January and her body had been found after five days at a dump site. Medical report had revealed that she had been raped and then murdered.

A CCTV footage had surfaced on media showing the little girl walking hand in hand with a man. This video had sparked nation outrage calling for the immediate hunt and arrest of the 'man' in the video.

On January 23, Imran had been taken into custody after his DNA had matched the sample taken from Zainab's body. Imran, during the hearing had confessed to raping Zainab along with seven other victims.