LAHORE: Protests demanding #JusticeforZainab and #JusticeforourChildren continued in the city on the second day on Thursday. Demonstrators demanded that timely investigation and arrest of the culprit so that an exemplary punishment could be meted out in the case to avoid such incidents in future. The second day after the news of eight-year-old Zainab’s sexual assault and murder was broke on Wednesday saw a large number of protests, rallies and candlelit vigils in public spaces as well as education institutions and offices of political parties. Protests took place at the Liberty Roundabout, Lalik Jan Chowk in DHA, Qartaba Chowk, Lahore Press Club, Model Town and Punjab University main campus. Special security arrangements were made by law enforcement agencies to avoid any untoward incident. Protestors carried placards, banners and posters with different slogans seeking justice for Zainab and condemning the police for its highhandedness in dealing with protesters in Kasur on Wednesday. Two protesters had lost their lives from injuries suffered as they were hit by bullets shot by policemen. A candlelit vigil was held at Liberty Roundabout where civil society activists offered ‘Fateha’ for Zainab and two people killed because of police shooting. Students of Punjab University held a rally from Punjab University Law College to Faisal Auditorium. The students were carrying placards and banners seeking exemplary punishments for the criminals. Students of King Edwards Medical University (KEMU) and Government College University (GCU) gathered at the Charring Cross to show solidarity with parents and relatives of Zainab. Agosh organisation’s activists, in collaboration with Minhajul Quran, held a rally for Zainab and Kasur victims. The rally started from International Market and ended at Minhajul Quran Secretariat. The Child Rights Movement Punjab announced that it would hold a press conference on violence against children at Lahore Press Club on Friday (today). Several delegations of civil society activists visited the aggrieved family’s home in Kasur to express their condolences and support. A delegation led by Civil Society Network Pakistan president Abdullah Malik included Rwadari Tehrik Pakistan activists and Lawyers Forum Punjab members. Speaking about the visit, Abdullah Malik told Daily times that the whole city appeared to be in a stressful and sombre mood. “The incident clearly shows the failure of local government authorities. If action had been taken in time after the child abuse case surfaced, Zainab and her family’s suffering could have been avoided,” he said. Activist Amna Malik narrated details of her conversation with Zainab’s parents who said the police had been callous and delinquent in their conduct with the family. “She told me that when the Kasur DPO called the family to inform them about the recovery of the child’s body dumped in trash, he asked for a monetary reward for the team that had found the body,” Malik said. Another delegation led by Awami Workers Party spokesperson Farooq Tariq and including Niaz Khan and Mehmood Butt of Progressive Trade Union Federation also visited the family. Separately, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) secretary Safdar Husain Tarrar demanded immediate arrest of Zainab’s murderers. Talking to the media, he said, “it was not an ordinary criminal assault and murder case. It has now become a national tragedy. The head of entire nation hangs in shame over the heinous incident. It is a matter of embarrassment for the country.” In its general house meeting, the Lahore High Court Bar Association expressed condolences with the aggrieved family and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. The bar also asked exemplary punishments not just for the murderers but also for the cops who opened fire on the protesters in Kasur. LHCBA president Ch Zulifqar said that a bar delegation would visit Kasur to condole with Zainab’s family. In a white paper on child abuse cases in Punjab, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said that cases of child abuse had increased drastically in the province. The paper maintained that during 2017 alone, 1,725 cases of rape and 195 cases of gang rape were reported, with a daily average of cases standing at five. “In a year, 6000 people have been killed in violent incidents. 100 children and women were killed after sexual assaults. 41,000 incidents of theft and dacoity were registered, while 150,000 were reported. 76,000 absconders, including 500 with head money and 109 terrorists, are on the loose. 74 percent of these cases have been reported in rural areas. On the other hand, the ratio of apprehension of criminals is less than 20 percent.” PTI leader Chaudhry Sarwar demanded that the trial of those accused of sexual violence and child abuse should be conducted in in military courts, adding that a speedy trial and public hanging in Zainab’s case should be ensured. He noted that Kasur and Faisalabad were the top two districts in terms of number of murders reported in the year. He said law enforcement agencies were good only for staging encounters. “3500 people committed suicide in Punjab, while 209 were killed in dacoities. Punjab police has failed to trace the two missing German citizens, Jeewani Spato, and Bird. It has also remained unable to solve the mystery of Canada-settled Indian banker Rajwind Core Gul’s murder.” Published in Daily Times, January 12th 2017.