Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Thursday reiterated its demand seeking resignations of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah over recent rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl, Zainab, in Kasur.

Such incidents are taking place under the nose of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNAs and MPAs, said the PAT chief, adding Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah, Rana Afzal [the home minister] and Arif Nawaz [the inspector general of police] must be held accountable for their negligence.

Few powerful groups are behind those who commit such crimes, Qadri said.

“If you want to root out the crimes, you have to punish criminals,” he added.

He said demoting the lower-ranking police officer would not make any difference, adding the chief minister must be summoned and be suspended.

“Suspend Shehbaz and Sanaullah, catch their MNAs and MPAs and then you’ll find out the criminal network operating under them,” said Qadri.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira also condemned the incident and said the opposition parties will put this matter on their agenda list along with the issue of Model Town incident

He also demanded the chief minister step down immediately.

Zainab, a resident of Rod Kot area of Kasur, was kidnapped on her way to a tuition centre on January 05. Her body was found at a garbage pile near Kashmir Chowk after four days. Initial postmortem report revealed the minor was strangled to death after being raped for multiple times.

The incident has erupted countrywide protests with people demanding justice for the victim.

The chief justice had taken a suo motu notice after the incident sparked nationwide outrage.