Two new images of suspects in Zainab's rape and murder case in Kasur came to the fore on Sunday as law enforcement agencies failed to make a major headway in the case five days after Zainab's body was recovered from a dump.

While talking to the media in Lahore on Sunday evening, Punjab Inspector General (IG) Arif Nawaz assured that police would soon apprehend the culprit as all agencies were working towards the goal, but admitted that "there has been no major breakthrough so far".

Earlier, the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the rape and murder of Zainab, and eleven other children before her in Kasur, held a meeting with families of all victims excluding Zainab's at the residence of district police officer (DPO) Kasur.

JIT shows photo of the suspected culprit to families of 11 victims. —Photo by Author
JIT shows photo of the suspected culprit to families of 11 victims. —Photo by Author

An official present during the meeting informed DawnNews that the families were given a new sketch of the possible culprit and were asked whether any of them knew him, however, none of the attendants replied in affirmative.

Meanwhile, another clearer picture of the suspect who was supposedly seen with Zainab in a footage released earlier in the week was released by the police, DawnNews.

The police also continued to conduct raids on Sunday.

Zainab's family, however, appeared dissatisfied with the investigation since there had been no headway despite five days have passed since their daughter's body was found.

The victim's father appealed the authorities to release all those arrested during protests that broke out in the city following the recovery of his daughter's body.

Countrywide protests demanding the arrest of culprits in the case and for protection of children in the country continued. Moreover, a demonstration was also held outside the Pakistani Embassy in London.

Clearer picture of the suspect obtained from CCTV. —Photo by Author
Clearer picture of the suspect obtained from CCTV. —Photo by Author

Zainab, who was the 12th minor victim of rape and murder in Kasur since 2015, went missing on January 4 while heading towards a relatives home. Her bruised body was found a few days later in a dump in the city.

The news shocked the entire country with #JusticeforZainab becoming the rallying cry while violent protests broke out in Kasur.

At least four agencies — the Counter Terrorism Department, the Intelligence Bureau, the Special Branch and the Punjab Forensic Science Agency — have been seized with the case and each agency has arrested suspects separately while investigating the matter.

Opinion

Editorial

Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...
By-election trends
Updated 23 Apr, 2024

By-election trends

Unless the culture of violence and rigging is rooted out, the credibility of the electoral process in Pakistan will continue to remain under a cloud.
Privatising PIA
23 Apr, 2024

Privatising PIA

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s reaffirmation that the process of disinvestment of the loss-making national...
Suffering in captivity
23 Apr, 2024

Suffering in captivity

YET another animal — a lioness — is critically ill at the Karachi Zoo. The feline, emaciated and barely able to...