LAHORE – Punjab Police has claimed to have arrested main accused in Zainabrape-killing case, local media reported.
The accused has been identified as Imran and is reportedly a relative ofthe seven-year-old girl. He lived near the house of the innocent girl inKasur, from where she was abducted.
Police sources said that the accused was taken into custody some days agobut was released after investigation, adding that he has been arrestedagain after his DNA matched evidence found in the case during the medicalexamination.
The accused, according to police, has confessed to the heinous crime.
Zainab was kidnapped on January 4 when she was on her way to Holy Quranclass. Her body was discovered five days later from a garbage pile. Thepost-mortem report revealed that the minor girl had been raped and murdered.
As the Kasur incident ramped up pressure on the performance of thegovernment, a high-profile joint investigation team (JIT) was formed tosolve the case, but it could not trace the suspect for several past daysdespite possessing several CCTV footages.
The incident also sparked violent protest in Kasur and drew countrywidecriticism, raising questions on the performance of law enforcers. Duringthe protest, two men were killed in police firing that added fuel to thefire.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar also took suo motonotice of the Kasur rape case and summoned all investigators on nexthearing.