Prime suspect of Zainab murder case-Imran Ali-has challenged the verdict of Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore High Court, reported Waqt News. 

In his petition, Imran stated that proceedings and verdict by ATC were conducted in hurry and he was not given proper chance to present his case. 

"Legal essentials were not fulfilled during hearing of the case," he argued. 

He appealed the court to suspend verdict of ATC. 

On February 17, An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC)  handed four death sentences to a man charged with raping and murdering a young girl, in a case that shocked the country and sparked major riots in his home district.

Imran Ali, 24, was on trial for the killing of six-year-old Zainab Fatima Ameen in the eastern city of Kasur last month.

He faces further charges in the cases of at least seven other children attacked in Kasur -- five of whom were murdered -- in a spate of assaults that had stoked fears a serial child killer was on the loose. He has confessed to all eight attacks, including the death of Zainab.

Ali was handed four separate death sentences after being convicted of the rape and murder of Zainab, as well as terrorism charges, prosecutor general of Punjab province Ihtesham Qadir said after a special anti-terrorism court passed its judgement.

Under Pakistani law, crimes that are considered to have spread terror in society can be charged as acts of terrorism.

The prosecutors said he received further life imprisonment and fines totalling 3.2 million rupees ($30,000) for additional charges of hiding his victim's body.

One million rupees of the fine would be given in compensation to Zainab's family, public prosecutor Abdul Rauf Wattoo told AFP.