ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police on Tuesday formally charged Imran Ali with the rape and murder of Zainab Amin Ansari, and booked him in seven similar cases in which he allegedly targeted minors in the Kasur district of Punjab province.
The police brought Ali to a counterterrorism court in Lahore before the expiry of his 14-day physical remand period, and told the judge that the suspect had kidnapped, raped and killed eight girls.
Ali was a lone wolf in each case, said Mohammed Saleem, one of the investigating officers. “Other than DNA reports, we’ve also gathered circumstantial evidence in all eight cases,” Saleem told Arab News. “It will be helpful in the conviction of the suspect.”
A joint investigation team is working day and night to collect as much evidence as possible since “we’re not willing to leave anything to chance,” he said.
The investigators sought a five-day remand of the suspect, but the court granted them three more days for their probe
“The prosecution needs to prepare a strong case by collecting as much evidence as possible,” Sharafat Ali, a senior lawyer and rights activists, told Arab News.
“This will help ensure the suspect’s conviction in Zainab’s rape and murder case.” If the investigators rely solely on DNA reports, they could have a hard time in court, he said.
Afzal Shigri, former inspector general of police, echoed this opinion, saying several high-profile cases were thrown out of court on technical grounds because investigators failed to prepare a rational case.
“This case needs to be investigated from all angles,” he told Arab News. “It’s very important to determine whether the suspect was alone or part of a network before the formal trial begins.”
As for whether DNA is admissible evidence in court, Shigri said: “Our judicial system is still grappling with the issue.”
He added: “If the suspect in Zainab’s case is convicted on the basis of his DNA report, this may serve as a precedent in other criminal cases.”
Ansari was abducted on Jan. 4 in Kasur. Her body was found in a garbage dump five days later.
The rape and murder of the 7-year-old sparked nationwide protests demanding the arrest of the culprit.
Suspect in Pakistan child rape, murder case formally charged
Suspect in Pakistan child rape, murder case formally charged
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Bangladesh’s religio-political party open to unity govt
- Opinion polls suggest that Jamaat-e-Islami will finish a close second to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in the first election it has contested in nearly 17 years
DHAKA: A once-banned Bangladeshi religio-political party, poised for its strongest electoral showing in February’s parliamentary vote, is open to joining a unity government and has held talks with several parties, its chief said.
Opinion polls suggest that Jamaat-e-Islami will finish a close second to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in the first election it has contested in nearly 17 years as it marks a return to mainstream politics in the predominantly Muslim nation of 175 million.
Jamaat last held power between 2001 and 2006 as a junior coalition partner with the BNP and is open to working with it again.
“We want to see a stable nation for at least five years. If the parties come together, we’ll run the government together,” Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman said in an interview at his office in a residential area in Dhaka, days after the party created a buzz by securing a tie-up with a Gen-Z party.
Rahman said anti-corruption must be a shared agenda for any unity government.
The prime minister will come from the party winning the most seats in the Feb. 12 election, he added. If Jamaat wins the most seats, the party will decide whether he himself would be a candidate, Rahman said.
The party’s resurgence follows the ousting of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a youth-led uprising in August 2024.
Rahman said Hasina’s continued stay in India after fleeing Dhaka was a concern, as ties between the two countries have hit their lowest point in decades since her downfall.
Asked about Jamaat’s historical closeness to Pakistan, Rahman said: “We maintain relations in a balanced way with all.”
He said any government that includes Jamaat would “not feel comfortable” with President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who was elected unopposed with the Awami League’s backing in 2023.
