Zainab killer to be hanged on Wednesday
President rejects Ali’s appeal, Anti-Terrorist Court issues death warrant
President rejects Imran Ali’s mercy petition and court issues papers authorising execution of the convict at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail
Authorities at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail are preparing to hang convicted killer Imran Ali on October 17, after a court issued papers authorising his execution.
A Pakistani Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) yesterday issued the death warrant for Ali, who gained international notoriety for the rape and murder of 7-year old Zainab Ansari in Kasur.
Ali was also accused of the rape and murder of seven other minors in the same region.
The man accused of multiple murders was handed the death sentence by the ATC on February 17 almost a month after the Zainab incident.
Later, his appeals were rejected by other courts, including the High Court and Supreme Court.
The President of Pakistan also rejected his mercy petition.
It took almost eight months for the due legal process to be completed since his conviction.
Besides the death penalty, Ali was also sentenced to life in prison, in addition to a sevenyear jail term and a fine of Rs4.1 million (Dh115,041).
In January, Zainab went missing and later her body was found on a heap of rubbish on January 9, 2018.
A medical report confirmed rape and murder, sparking outrage and protests across the country.
Later, amid massive public pressure the Punjab government carried out a hi-tech forensic investigation, finally tracing Ali with the help of DNA evidence.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan had rejected Ali’s appeal against conviction on June 12.