Imran demands thorough investigation into alleged child pornography ring in Kasur

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan has demanded a thorough probe by a high-powered joint investigation team into reports of a child pornography ring allegedly operating in Kasur.

Following the arrest of suspect Imran Ali in the horrific murder and rape case of seven-year-old Zainab, reports have emerged that the accused held several bank accounts, which included foreign currency accounts.

"After the arrest of Imran Ali in the Zainab case, a tale of a well-connected operation of child pornography, abuse & murder is unravelling as he is found to have numerous bank accts," the PTI chairperson said in a tweet posted on Thursday.

"Clearly the scale of these crimes against (SIC) our innocent children shows involvement of powerful people," he said, stressing that a 'strong JIT' should thoroughly investigate the reports.

"A strong JIT must investigate this thoroughly including the Kasur child pornography case which Rana Sanaullah shamefully dismissed as a land dispute," he said.

Rana rubbishes Imran's claims

While responding to the PTI chief’s statement on child pornography ring in Kasur, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said Imran’s words came from hearsay. This is what the PTI chairperson does, Sanaullah added.

Confirming addition of a State Bank official to the JIT, he said that Imran's claims are baseless and politically motivated, aimed at undermining the success of the Punjab government in resolving Zainab rape and murder case.

"They understand that they have lost the chance to do politics on these innocent girls," the provincial minister said.

"If Imran had time, he would have read the JIT report on Kasur video scandal," he said, when asked about the PTI chairman's allegations against him.

Rana said the JIT, which had [representatives from] civil and military institutions, had written whether or not there was a [land] dispute there or not; how many suspects were challaned in the case later on and that the case is being heard by an anti-terrorism court. "The thing is that they never come to the facts."

Asked that some opposition leaders have been naming some federal ministers, influential figures and does he have any information about that, the minister said the Zainab rape-murder suspect is the only one involved in the cases he stands accused of and that all the details pertaining to those cases have been verified in different ways.

"The suspect revealed that two members of his own family identified him in the CCTV footage and told him that he appeared to be the man in the footage," he said, criticising Imran Khan and Aitzaz Ahsan.

"Aitzaz Ahsan is a wise man, but he has always sold his wisdom," Rana said, adding that their efforts to snatch the credit are indirectly supporting this "beast", who subjected eight innocent girls to his brutality. "They are tangling his case and hence supporting him."

He said that Imran and Aitzaz will be exposed before the nation after a verified report is presented.

Ahsan had earlier said that it was impossible to trust the Punjab police, adding that the suspect arrested in Zainab rape-murder case could not do all this alone.

JIT to probe reports of bank accounts held by Zainab rape-murder suspect

Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of reports of multiple bank accounts of the accused in Zainab rape and murder case, and directed the joint investigation team (JIT) to probe into the matter.

The Punjab government, on the chief minister's directives, has notified addition of a representative of the State Bank of Pakistan and DG Forensic Science Laboratory to the already existing JIT in the case, headed by a deputy inspector general (DIG).

Police officials confirmed the addition of the two members to the team.

The JIT has been directed to probe reports by a private media house suggesting that the accused, Imran Ali Naqshbandi, has several bank accounts.

The investigation team has been ordered to investigate the matter and report on its findings.