Zainab’s body found near arrested suspect's house: police

KASUR: Police on Thursday arrested yet another suspect in the Zainab murder and rape case who was residing near the spot from where the minor's body was found.

According to police sources, Zainab’s body was found at a distance from the arrested suspect Ranjha’s house.

Ranjha was arrested on the information received from another suspect, Umar, who was arrested earlier in the Bhatta Chowk area of Lahore.

Sources said Umar’s polygraph test has been taken but the report has not been received yet.

It has been nearly two weeks since the body of Zainab was found in a garbage heap in Kasur, but no significant development has taken place in the investigation.

Police have arrested more than 15 suspects, while search operations are also being carried out on a daily basis, sources said. Moreover, DNA tests of 449 people have been taken so far.

On January 16, a Supreme Court bench expressed displeasure over the lack of progress by the Punjab government and police on the case of Zainab’s rape and murder.

During proceedings, Punjab additional inspector general (AIG) and advocate general (AG) appeared before the court.

Addressing the officials, the chief justice had remarked that no significant progress in the case was visible so far.

Man resembling Zainab rape-murder suspect held in Lahore

The suspect has been handed over to the Kasur police for his DNA test

The entire nation is aggrieved by the incident. What has been done in the case so far?" the chief justice had enquired.

To this, the AIG had said that investigations were underway, whereas the AG had informed the bench that around 1,100 suspects had been questioned in the case.

“If the issue isn’t solved then it’ll be a failure of the government and police,” the chief justice observed, adding that the same mistakes are made in every case after which suspects are exonerated due to shoddy investigations.

Zainab, 7, was kidnapped on January 4 from near her aunt’s house in Kasur. Her body was discovered five days later from a garbage pile. The post-mortem report revealed that Zainab had been raped and murdered.

Moreover, the authorities have informed that the suspect's mobile phone location shows he was in Kasur. The suspect has been handed over to Kasur police for his DNA test.