KASUR - Even on the ninth day of the rape and killing of seven-year-old Zainab, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif refused to give timeframe for the arrest of the perpetrator(s) here on Wednesday.

“A deadline cannot be given about the arrest of the criminal however we are reaching closer to him. It has been divulged through the scientifically held investigation that agencies will soon make it to the criminal. Bringing the criminals involved in Zainab murder case to the court of law is our first priority and all possible resources are being utilised for this purpose,” he said while talking to the media.

He said that Punjab government and all of its departments were working hard to arrest the culprits involved in the murder of Zainab. The investigation is being processed scientifically; the culprits will be brought to book soon and they will meet their logical end under the law. The head and other members of the JIT were working day and night to arrest the criminals and police, special branch, NADRA, Punjab Forensic Science Agency and all other line departments were moving further in an organised manner, he added.

No stone has been left unturned to arrest the criminals and proactive support of federal intelligence agencies has also been gained in this case, he said. “I myself am supervising the progress on this case and it is my request that hearsays should be avoided and the team working on this case should be given full support. We are hopeful that the hardened criminals involved in the rape-cum-murder of Zainab will be disclosed soon,” he said.

He presided over a meeting which held at the DPO Office Kasur to review progress on Zainab murder case. At the outset, he said that it is his request to the people of Kasur especially the dwellers of the area where Zainab lived to lend a helping hand to the JIT. The name of the person and his family members will be kept secret if they provide any clue or useful information.

“The whole nation fully shares the grief of bereaved family and I also went to share his grief after the Fajar prayer. People of the area should fully support the investigation teams. The case is being dealt with in a scientific manner and Punjab Forensic Science Agency has a leading role in this regard. I pray that may Almighty Allah accept our efforts and savage criminal is arrested. He will be given exemplary punishment under the law so that no one could ever think of doing such a savage act again,” he said.

The chief minister said, “Like Zainab, Asma is also our daughter which has been murdered after molestation in Mardan. I want to put a question to the elements staging sit-in on The Mall if they have same prayers and grief for the daughter of Mardan. The postmortem report shows that Asma has also been molested. Have the elements staging sit-in same sympathy for this daughter and whether they will raise their voice to ensure justice to her. Both Asma and Zainab are daughters of the nation and same blood runs in their veins.”

Addressing the meeting, he said that hardened criminal would not escape from the clutches of law and directed that investigation teams continue their investigations with more zeal and professionalism. He said arrest of the killer was a major challenge and it was hoped that he will be arrested soon.