Police is working hard to arrest the killer of Zainab :

Lahore : Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Punjab government and all of its line departments are 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 are working day and night to arrest the criminals and police, special branch, NADRA, Punjab Forensic Science Agency and all other line departments are moving further in an organised manner. No stone has been left unturned to arrest the criminals and proactive support of federal intelligence agencies has also been gained in this case. I am personally 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 fullest support. We are hopeful that the hardened criminals involved in the rape-cum-murder of Zainab will be disclosed soon.

He expressed these views while talking to the media after presiding over an important meeting which held at the DPO Office Kasur today 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 and I assure that the person and his family will remain fully safe and secure that will give information about the hardened criminals involved in this case. The whole nation fully shares the grief of bereaved family and I also went to share his grief after the Fajar prayer, he added.

He said that 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, he added. 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.

Replying to questions of the media, the Chief Minister said that positive progress has been made and I could say it without any fear of denial that most competent and hard working officers are efficiently working on this case and the proactive support of federal intelligence agencies has also been obtained. Timeframe 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 utilized for this purpose, he added.

Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said the way Zainab is daughter of the nation, Asma is also our daughter which has been murdered after molestation in Mardan. I want to put the question to the elements staging sit-in at Mall Road that 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 at Mall Road 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. Geographical divide cannot change the circumstances, he added. Rape-cum-murder of daughters in Mardan and Kasur, murder of a student namely Mishal in DI Khan, killing of lawyers in Quetta as well as tragic incidents that occurred in Karachi and other districts are a matter of concern for us. Almighty Allah as well as the nation shall not forgive us if we are not saddened over such tragic incidents and rather try to politicize them. The elements doing politics over such tragic incidents should be fearful of Allah Almighty because

He and the nation shall never forgive those doing politics on such painful incidents. I request the elements that for the sake of God don’t do any politics on such incidents and stop playing with the emotions of the nation.

He said that murder of Mir Murtaza Bhutto should also be recalled as his sister was the Prime Minister of Pakistan when he was killed. The same party was ruling Sindh and Chief Minister was also from the same party. Did anybody demand them to resign then? Pakistanis are the victim of circumstances and nation has the right to know that why agitations and sit-ins were not held then. The nation demands justice for Zainab and Asma and it also requires employment and justice. By the grace of Almighty Allah, everything will be held accountable and the media should also play its role in strengthening of society, he added.

Replying to a question, he said that why the elements showing their pain and mourning over the rape-cum-murder of Zainab are silent over the cruelty meted out with the daughter of the nation in Mardan? They will have to give the reply that if their lamentation and dirge were real or alligators’ tears were shed. The investigation of Zainab murder case will be completed soon; the criminals involved in this case will be brought to justice and the bereaved family will be given justice at every cost, he added.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting was presided over by Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at DPO Office Kasur in which he was briefed about the progress made on this case.

He was given a detailed briefing about the progress made through the footage. Addressing the meeting, he said that hardened criminal will not escape from the clutches of law and directed that investigation teams should continue their investigations with more zeal and professionalism.

He said arrest of the killer is a major challenge and it is hoped that he will be arrested soon. We shall fulfill our duties with full responsibility and our efforts will be successful. Adoption of an effective system and composite policies are needed to eradicate such events in the future, he added.

Spokesman Punjab government Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, Members of the Assembly, RPO Sheikhupura, head of JIT along with members, DC and DPO Kasur and others attended the meeting while Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah, Ayub Gadhi, Jahangir Khanzada, Advisor Rana Maqbool Ahmed, ACS (Home) and IG Police attended the meeting through video link from the office of Punjab Safe City Authority at Qurban Lines Lahore.