LHC seeks replies on plea for public hanging of Zainab's killer

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notices to the Punjab government and other respondents on a petition filed by Amin Ansari, father of seven-year-old Zainab, seeking court directives for public hanging of his daughter’s murderer.

A bench of the LHC directed the respondents to file their replies on the petition on Tuesday (tomorrow).

The petitioner submitted that convict Imran Ali, who will be sent to the gallows on Oct 17, could be executed publicly under Section 22 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. He added the section allows the government to “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.”

Amin said the murderer of Zainab should be given exemplary punishment to stop such incidents in future.

The convict will be hanged on the morning of October 17 at the Lahore Central Jail. He was found guilty of rape and murder of seven minors including Zainab.

The warrants were issued after President Arif Alvi rejected the mercy plea on October 10.

Death row prisoner Imran Ali was handed four counts of death penalty, one life term, a 7-year jail term and Rs4.1 million in fines in the Zainab rape and murder case.