LAHORE: The father of Zainab Amin, a victim of the infamous Kasur tragedy, has moved the Lahore High Court to demand public hanging of Imran Ali who is convicted of rape-cum-murder of his seven-year-old daughter.

Amin Ansari through a writ petition filed through Advocate Ishtiaq Ahmad Chaudhry pleads that appeals against conviction moved by Ali had been dismissed by all legal fora including the high court and the Supreme Court. The petitioner states that section 22 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 empowers the government to hang a convict publicly.

The relevant section says, “The government may specify the manner, mode and place of execution of any sentence passed under this Act, having regard to the deterrent effect which such execution is likely to have.”

Therefore, he asks the court to order the government to ensure that the convict is hanged publicly to satisfy the requirement of deterrence in society.

An anti-terrorism court on Feb 17 last handed down death sentence on four counts to Imran Ali following a four-day trial conducted in the Kot Lakhpat Central Jail. The convict was also given life imprisonment and a seven-year jail term in addition to the death penalty.

The Lahore High Court and the Supreme Court dismissed his appeals against the sentence. The apex court in its verdict observed that the evidence presented by the prosecution convinced court that the confession made by the appellant/convict was not only voluntary but also true.

It said despite pleading guilty to the charge and making a confessional statement by the convict, the trial court had decided to proceed with recording of evidence and during the trial statements of 32 prosecution witnesses were recorded and many other pieces of evidence were brought on the record.

The court also observed that the crimes committed by the convict were absolutely horrendous and barbaric. It said the convict had not only deceitfully kidnapped her (Zainab) but also brutalised her by committing rape and then killed her.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2018