Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday directed the provincial home secretary to submit a reply in a petition asking for the public execution of convict Imran Ali in the Kasur rape and murder case, reported a private media outlet.
Ali was convicted by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on multiple counts of murder and rape and was sentenced to death. His arrest was the result of a manhunt launched after Zainab’s body was recovered from a garbage dump in Kasur city.
On June 24, Zainab’s father Mohammad Amin filed a writ petition under Article 199 of the Constitution making the Punjab government respondent through the home secretary, prisons inspector-general, Kot Lakhpat superintendent and convict Imran. Zainab’s father implored that the punishment could serve as deterrence for others only if the convict was executed at a public place or his hanging was telecast live on TV.
According to reports, Justice Anwarul Haq resumed the hearing of the petition. Ishtiaq Chaudhry, counsel for Zainab’s father, argued that all appeals lodged by the convict were rejected and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) allows public conviction in certain cases.
The court also summoned Punjab assistant advocate general demanding a response on whether convict Imran’s death warrants have been issued or not. The LHC demanded that more details should be provided on the matter in the next hearing scheduled for June 28.
