'Applause shameful’: Shah slams Shehbaz's presser on Kasur

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah slammed Punjab government officials on clapping and congratulatory messages while announcing the arrest of minor Zainab’s murderer.

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday evening confirmed that the arrested accused, Imran, is the murderer of seven-year-old Zainab and referred to him as a “serial killer”.

During the news conference, the chief minister had congratulated, amid cheers and applauds, Punjab's cabinet committee, Law Minister Sanaullah, IGP Punjab, additional chief secretary home, chief secretary, and other intelligence officials including Military Intelligence (MI) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Criticising the applause, Shah said sixty cases of child sexual abuse were reported in Kasur in 2016 and thousands of similar incidents happened across Punjab. Dozens of suspects were arrested but not one was punished, he said.

While these incidents happen all over the world, no one applauds and claps while announcing the apprehension of the criminals, the opposition leader said.

“You should be ashamed of clapping after apprehending the culprit,” he said.

He suggested that a resolution should be introduced in the assembly to condemn the Punjab government’s action, adding that Shehbaz’s actions have hurt the nation’s sentiments and he should apologise. 

The opposition leader on Tuesday said the cheering was a "slap in the faces" of Kasur's 250 children and the 12 minor girls who were sexually abused.

He also blasted Shehbaz, saying he should be ashamed of being unable to save Kasur's children.

"If the world's second-biggest lab is in Lahore, why were the other suspects not apprehended?" he asked.

Continuing on, he sarcastically asked when would sharif be getting a similar applause for the arrest of the suspects in the Kasur child sexual abuse scandal.