LAHORE: Kasur’s ‘serial killer’ Imran Ali, who was awarded four death penalties in the Zainab rape and murder case, challenged his conviction in the Lahore High Court on Tuesday.
The convict filed an appeal through the jail authorities, assailing the February 17 verdict of an anti-terrorism court that found him guilty of raping and murdering Kasur’s little Zainab.
In the appeal, the convict said the ATC carried out trial in the case in a haste, skirting the legal formalities.
He claimed he was innocent and pleaded with the high court to set aside the trial court’s verdict.
On Feb 17, ATC Judge Sajjad Ahmad awarded capital punishment to accused Imran Ali on four counts, life term, additional imprisonment of 7 years and Rs3.2 million fine.
The judge handed down capital punishment on two counts for kidnapping and subjecting the minor to sexual abuse and on two more counts for murdering her and committing an act of terrorism under anti-terror law.
He was awarded life sentence for sodomy and seven years of jail term for dumping her dead body in a trash heap.
He was directed to pay a collective fine of Rs3.2 million.
Zainab, who went missing on January 4 from Kasur’s Kot Road area, was found raped, dead and buried in a trash heap in Kasur on January 9.
The horrific incident triggered widespread outrage and protests across the country with people calling for public execution of the culprit.
