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Lahore, February 17
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan today sentenced to death a serial killer for the brutal rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl that sparked national outrage, the first ever trial in the country’s history that concluded in shortest period of four days.
Announcing the verdict at the Kot Lakhpat Jail here at in-camera trial amid high security, ATC judge Sajjad Hussain handed down the death sentence to 23-year-old Imran Ali on four grounds â”— murdering a child, kidnapping a child, rape of a minor, and committing an unnatural act with a minor.
Imran has also been sentenced to seven years in jail with a fine of Rs 1 million for desecrating the body of a minor.
He was arrested in January, two weeks after he raped and killed the 7-year-old girl and threw her body into a garbage dump in Kasur city.
The brutal rape and murder of the child had sparked outrage and protests across the country. Her case was the 12th such incident to occur within a 10 km radius in Kasur city over a 12-month period.
The arrest brought to light eight more such killings and many Pakistanis have demanded he be publicly executed. Prosecutor General Ehtesham Qadir, who spoke to media after the sentencing, said the accused had been given ample chance to defend himself, but he chose to confess his crimes.
He said the prosecution had presented at least 56 witnesses against him in addition to forensic evidence, including the DNA and polygraph tests.
The girl’s father Muhammad Amin expressed satisfaction over the verdict, saying: “We are satisfied on the verdict but we wanted him to be hanged publicly.” — PTI
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