#JusticeForZainab: Pakistan mourns rape-murder victim amid violent protests

KASUR - The funeral prayers for an eight-year-old girl who was killed after rape in Kasur city of Punjab was offered on Wednesday amid violent protests in different parts of the city.

Scores of locals took to the streets earlier in the day as a protest against the brutal incident, engaging in skirmishes with law enforcers before they assembled for the prayers led by Pakistan Awami Tehreek Chief Dr Tahir ul Qadri.

Unfortunately, two protesters were left dead amid clashes with police, according to multiple media reports.



The unfortunate incident relates to Zainab, who went to a tuition centre near her house in Road Kot area on Thursday when someone abducted her, at a time when her parents were returning home after performing Umrah.

The kidnapping panicked the family members of Zainab, who toiled hard for her recovery but to their dismay, police recovered the dead body of the girl which was found dumped near garbage pile near Shahbaz Road on Tuesday.

The body was sent to the District Headquarters Hospital for autopsy where the doctors confirmed that Zainab was raped multiple times before she was murdered.



As soon as the report was handed over to the guardians of Zainab, a wave of sorrow and resentment gripped the city following which the traders shuttered their shops and staged a protest demonstration.

Scores of citizens also gathered at Steel Bagh Mor near the hospital and staged a demonstration by keeping the body in the middle of the road. They halted the traffic by burning tyres on Ferozepur Road and chanted slogans against police and law enforcers.

The severity of the incident could be gauged from the fact that the District Bar Association (DBA) had announced a boycott of court proceedings on Wednesday (today) to express solidarity with the bereaved family.

A CCTV footage of the alleged criminal carrying Zainab also surfaced on social media.

https://twitter.com/IamTeamIK/status/950828926816935936

Let it be known that in the last one year, this is the 12th incident of this nature in a Kasur area (within a radius of two kilometres), where people are riled at police inaction.

CM Punjab Takes Action

Riled by the social media storm stirred after the crime, Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif took action and sought a detailed report from Inspector general Police Punjab Arif Nawaz.

https://twitter.com/CMShehbaz/status/951005656806543361

"I would personally monitor the case," assured the provincial chief executive in his message.

Kasur Tragedy Stirs Twitter Storm

The ruthless incident ignited emotional debate on micro-blogging site, with Twitterati calling upon the concerned authorities to nab the culprits.

A hashtag #JusticeForZainab became the top trend on the forum in just a few hours attracting tweets from human rights activists.

The condemnable & horrific rape & murder of little Zainab exposes once again how vulnerable our children are in our society. This is not the first time such horrific acts have happened. We have to act swiftly to punish the guilty & ensure that our children are better protected. pic.twitter.com/9f7OM3hYT1

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 10, 2018

I hope and pray the culprits are not only brought to justice but made an example of. pic.twitter.com/oUxhnHjP3Q

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) January 10, 2018

https://twitter.com/AseefaBZ/status/950994799410245632

https://twitter.com/ArifAlvi/status/950945601994346496

https://twitter.com/HniaziISF/status/950828634968862721

https://twitter.com/iamhamzaabbasi/status/950871646524583937

https://twitter.com/zi_suleman/status/950820891163877376

https://twitter.com/mosharrafzaidi/status/950970569830387712

https://twitter.com/aamnaisani/status/950959800145399808

Let’s celebrate our political wins & our opponents defeat..let’s claim sacrifices for democracy & support the false claimants because this girl Zainab age 7 raped by men, killed & thrown in garbage in Kasur is NOT an issue. Who cares about people’s issues? #ShameonUs pic.twitter.com/Kr72fzWhh7

— Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) January 9, 2018

https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/950834048166977537

https://twitter.com/mahwashajaz_/status/950830207941963777

Darinday, qaatil, koi hay jo iss bachee kay qaatilon ko sarkon par ghaseetay? @CMShehbaz pic.twitter.com/Xe7reLcopi

— Fe'reeha Idrees (@Fereeha) January 9, 2018

This is Zainab
Kidnapped, Raped and Murdered in Qasoor Pakistan!
I demand @CMShehbaz to capture her killer to hang him in the public pic.twitter.com/cVYXWBconQ

— Shama Junejo (@ShamaJunejo) January 9, 2018

Horrific!!!
A 7-year old angel raped.
What kind of a society are we living in????#RIP little angel #JusticeForZainab pic.twitter.com/nMlPtPWQN6

— Muniba Mazari (@muniba_mazari) January 10, 2018

https://twitter.com/ShahNafisa/status/950962255201529856