Punjab Home Ministry ordered on Friday the trial of Imran Ali, the key suspect involved in the rape and murder of Zainab, to be conducted in the Kot Lakhpat jail in Punjab.

According to local media reports,  Imran was produced before an anti-terrorism court, as his 14-day physical remand expired today. On Tuesday, the ATC had extended his remand on the request of the police. During the case proceedings, Imran's counsel claimed that his client is innocent as there was no evidence and DNA tests have no value in the eyes of the law. The counsel further said that people cannot be sent to jail just on Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif's orders.

The Prosecutor General Punjab Ehtisham Qadir, on orders of the Supreme Court will plead the case for Zainab, with the court proceeding taking place inside Imran's special jail cell.

ATC extends remand of Zainab’s suspected murderer

The minor girl was raped and murdered after being abducted on January 4. Her body was found at a garbage dump site, five days after she went missing.

During police investigation Imran's DNA had matched with samples taken from Zainab’s bodyafter which he was arrested on January 23. The investigation also revealed that Imran was involved in eight other incidents that had occurred in Kasur over the past several months.