F.P. Report
KASUR: Two people were killed and six others were injured by police firing during furious protests in Kasur on Wednesday against the gruesome rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl Zainab.
The protesters blocked different roads, burnt tyres and chanted slogans against the police. They also set a passenger bus on fire and vandalised several vehicles. Meanwhile, thousands of protesters gathered at Kutchehry Chowk of the city and tried to march towards the offices of the deputy commissioner and district’s police chief.
The Punjab police opened fire on the innocent protestors, killing two persons – identified as Muhammad Ali and Munib Islam – while six others identified as Umair, Afzal, Asad, Yasir, Shahbaz and Osama were seriously injured. The injured were shifted to the district hospital where doctors referred them to Lahore for better treatment.
The citizens placed the dead bodies of Muhammad Ali and Munib Islam at Steel Bagh Chowk and resumed their protest.
Protests took place in various areas of the city against the incident. Angry protesters, chanting slogans against the authorities and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, broke into the DC Office.
Protests were also held on Tuesday but called off after eight hours when the police assured that the suspects would be arrested. On Tuesday, protesters had blocked roads and closed markets. An incident of protesters pushing police officers was also reported near Ferozepur road.
The initial postmortem report of the minor stated that she was strangled to death after being raped multiple times.
The minor’s parents were in Saudi Arabia where they had gone to perform Umrah when the incident occurred. The parents are expected to return to the country on Wednesday.
Chief Justice Lahore High Court Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif have taken notice of the incident.
The funeral prayers of the deceased were offered Wednesday afternoon, led by Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s Tahir-ul-Qadri.
Protests were also put on hold because of the funeral prayers.
