LAHORE: Imran Ali, convicted of rape and murder of seven-year-old Zainab in Kasur, was taken to the gallows just before dawn on Wednesday and washangedinthepresence of a magistrate, a doctor and the victim`s father in Kot Lakhpat jail.A jail official said that Imran was hanged at 5.30am. Black warrants for his execution were issued by an anti-terrorism court on Friday. The brother of the convict and his two friends along with an ambulance had already arrived at the jail to receive the body.

After the execution, they took his body to his native city, Kasur, for burial.

In his last wish, Imran advised his brothers and other relatives never to commit such a mistake in their life to avoid embarrassment. `I am ashamed ofwhat I did and seek forgiveness and mercy of Allah, reads the last wish of the convicted murderer handed over to his family before execution. He also appealed to the law enforcement agencies not to disturb his f amily af ter his execution as he had got punishment for his sin.

Talking to the media after the execution, Zainab`s father Haji Ameen Ansari said the authorities did not accept his plea for public hanging of the murderer. However, he added, `I am satisfied that the justice is done, as I witnessed the murderer`s execution myself.

Zainab was kidnapped on Jan 4, 2018 on her way to her aunt`s house in Kasur where she used to go to learn the Holy Quran.

Her body was recovered from a heap of garbage near her house five days later.

Widespread protests erupted in Kasur af ter her murder.

The police later identified the murderer through DNA tests of over 1,100 suspects.

On Feb 17, the ATC awarded death sen-tence to Imran Ali, 24, on four counts following a four-day jail trial at Kot Lakhpat Central Jail. The death penalty was awarded under Sections 364-A (kidnapping a person under the age of 14), 376 (rape) and 302-B (murder) of Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 (for creating terrorism by his act).

The court also awarded life imprisonment to the convict on a charge of unnatural offence/sodomy and seven-year jail term for concealing and dumping the body. Besides, the court had imposed a fine of Rs1 million on the convict to be paid to legal heirs of Zainab, in addition to a collective fine of Rs3.2m imposed under different sections of law.