My Zainab is no more, all I want is justice: mother

ISLAMABAD/KASUR: The grieving mother of seven-year-old Zainab, whose horrific rape and murder has shocked the country, says she just wants justice and “knows nothing else”. 

She said this hours before her daughter was laid to rest in Kasur on Wednesday.

Zainab’s body was discovered in a garbage pile on Tuesday, five days after she was kidnapped. The initial post-mortem report revealed that she had been raped multiple times and strangled to death.

Speaking to reporters outside the airport, Zainab's father alleged that the police did not cooperate in finding his daughter. "If the police would have acted immediately, the culprit would have been caught."

The father also appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the incident and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa to provide justice.

While speaking to reporters upon arrival at the Lahore airport later, the father of the murdered girl thanked Tahir-ul-Qadri for taking out time for leading funeral prayers for his child.

He said that the police and NADRA should employ their resources to identify the suspect. However, he lamented, that the authorities have completely failed in identifying the murderer so far.

The father further demanded that the perpetrator be "publicly punished".

The army chief condemned the murder of Zainab and responded to the appeal by the aggrieved parents, directing immediate all-out support to civil administration to arrest the criminals and bring them to justice. 

Speaking to Geo News, Zainab's sister said they would continue to fight till they receive justice. "What has happened to Zainab should not happen to anyone else."

Her brother said the chief minister had taken notice, however, this was his normal routine. "We want justice from the chief minister. Police did not cooperate with us. The DPO had a non-serious attitude," he said.  

The alleged rape and murder of Zainab has led to protests taking place in various areas of Kasur. Protesters broke into the DC office and pelted police with stones. In retaliation, police opened straight fire on the protesters, resulting in two deaths.

The chief justice Lahore High Court has taken notice of the incident and summoned reports from the sessions court judge and police officials. 

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered for the immediate arrest of those responsible, adding that no excuse would be tolerated. “Made it absolutely clear to them that lip service would not work. I want the culprits involved in this heinous crime behind bars. Those failing in their duties will be proceeded against. Very painful incident!" the chief minister tweeted following a meeting on the Kasur incident which was also attended by police officials