LAHORE:  Imran Ali, Zainab’s rapist and serial killer, filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court on Wednesday challenging decision of an Anti-Terrorism Court in which he was sentenced to deaths on four counts, life imprisonment and also seven-year jail term.

An Anti-Terrorism Court- Judge Sajjad Ahmad on Feb 17 announced 85-page judgment at Kot Lakhpat jail in seven-0year old child girl’s case that included terrorism charges, handing the convict death sentence on four counts, 32-year accumulative imprisonment and Rs 3.2 million fine along with Rs 1 million as payment of compensation to the victim family.

It is the first case in country’s history wherein the trial concluded in just five days, since its commencement last Saturday, as the decision had already been made on Thursday and was announced two days later.

The gruesome incident of raping and murdering child girl shook Pakistan and drew attention of the whole world. Thousands of protests took to the streets in different parts of the country, especially in Kasur where these protests claimed two more lives.

Convict was on trial for murdering Zainab Amin and five other minors last month in Kasur.

The 24-year-old serial killer had also been facing charges of at least seven other children attacked in the same city – five of whom were murdered. He has confessed to all these rapes and murders.

In his appeal, the convict pleaded himself not guilty and claimed that the trial was conducted in haste and legal requirements were not fulfilled during the trial.  He asked the court to overturn the ATC's verdict.

Jail officials in their application to the Lahore High Court said “kindly find enclosed herewith jail appeal along with attested copy of judgment of un-confirmed prisoner cited as subject for kind perusal of the Honorable Court,”.

“It is further requested to please communicate the appeal No. allotted to the captioned jail appeal for completion of the record and satisfaction of the prisoner as well,” said the Jail Superintendent.

The law provides 15 days to the convict to move appeal against his conviction before the Lahore High Court and if the appeal is turned down then he may approach the country’s top court for redressal of his grievances.  He may also move mercy appeal before the President of Pakistan.

Urging for treating rape and murder of children as exception, the parents of the deceased girl who had arrived at Kot Lakhpat Jail asked the legislators to pass a law to allow public hanging in such cases to serve as a greater deterrent.

The brutalisation of Zainab Amin last month sparked outrage and protests across the country. Hers was 12th incident of rape and murder of kids that took place within a 10-kilometer radius since Oct last year.

Thousands of people took to the streets while two people lost their lives during the protests in Kasur. #JusticeforZainab became most popular hashtag on the social media and people from all walks of life demanded immediate arrest and punishment to the culprit.

 Zainab went missing on January 4 and was found at a heap of garbage nearby her house on Jan 9.

The public demand for immediate arrest of the culprit resulted in an unprecedented search in which almost all law enforcement and secret agencies took part and a large pool of suspects were probed, besides carrying out DNA profiling of more than 1,100 people.

On Jan 23, the police took Imran Ali into custody and secured his 16-day physical remand for investigation. On Feb 9, police submitted challan before the ATC and charged him of rape and serial killings of minor girls, including  Zainab Amin.

The convict initially pleaded not guilty but later confessed to his crimes.

His counsel Mehr Shakeel advocate took his brief but withdrew his power of attorney when the convict gave confessional statement before the court.

The prosecution presented at least 56 witnesses against the suspect in addition to forensic evidence, including DNA and polygraph tests.

The trial was wrapped up within four days, even though the Lahore High Court had given seven days for its completion.

The Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, which was also applied in the case, also requires the trial court to proceed on a day-to-day basis and decide the case within seven working days.

A special prosecution team headed by Abdul Rauf Wattoo prosecuted the suspect during the trial.