PESHAWAR/CHITRAL: Several political parties and civil society organisations on Thursday held protest demonstrations to condemn the gruesome murder of seven-year-old Zainab in Kasur and demanded of the government to take prompt steps for early arrest of her killer.

Pakistan Peoples Party women wing workers led by provincial general secretary Shazia Tehmas held a demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club and shouted slogans against the brutal incident.

Talking to mediapersons, the PPP women wing leader said that the Kasur incident had forced the people of all segments of society to come onto the streets against the government which had failed to take immediate steps for arrest of the accused person.

She said that after Kasur incident the parents were unwilling to send their children outside houses.

Asfandyar, others demand prompt arrest of Zainab’s killer

She criticised the Punjab government for its failure to take appropriate steps for curbing such incidents.

She said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the residence of the victim only after the protest demonstrations across the country.

Another demonstration was held by members of civil society organisations, which was led by former MNA Bushra Gohar. Holding banners and placards, the protesters demanded immediate arrest of Zainab’s killer. Speaking on the occasion, the former lawmaker condemned the gory incident and described it a stigma on the face of the country. She said that the entire nation was condemning the ugly incident, but the government was unable to nab the culprit.

She said that providing protection to the citizens was the prime responsibility of the state.

She said that women and children were extremely vulnerable and it was duty of all the people to seek a solution to the problem. In a statement on Thursday, Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan condemned the incident and demanded proper probe to award exemplary punishment to the real culprit.

He said that the incident had shocked the people across the country, adding that it was a national tragedy which had saddened all and sundry. Mr Asfandyar said that despite footage from the CCTV cameras the police were unable to trace the killer. He also condemned the Punjab police for opening indiscriminate fire on protesters wherein two people were killed and many others wounded.

He said that it was duty of the Punjab government to conduct inquiry into all such incidents and award punishment to those involved in the bloodshed.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf women wing also held a protest demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club and condemned the Kasur incident.

In Chitral, activists of local chapter of Islami Jamiat Talaba took out a protest procession on Thursday to condemn the murder of Zainab in Kasur and demanded exemplary punishment for the culprit. They also called for taking concrete measure to stop occurrence of such incidents in future.

The protesters were addressed at PIA Chowk by IJT nazim Ishfaq Ahmed and others who said that the life of Zainab could have been saved by timely action of police.

They demanded of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to resign for his failure to provide protection to the people.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2018