Lahore High Court. Photo:File

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court directed the special anti-terrorism court hearing the Zainab rape, murder case to give its verdict in seven days after the submission of the challan (charge-sheet), said a notification issued on Thursday.

Zainab was kidnapped from near her aunt?s house on January 4 in Kasur. Her body was recovered from a garbage heap on January 9. The post-mortem of the minor revealed that she had been raped before being murdered. 

On Wednesday, A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) has handed Imran Ali Naqshbandi, the accused in the rape and murder case of Zainab, to police on a 14-day physical remand. 

During his ATC appearance, Imran admitted to the rape and murder of Zainab.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested the chief justice of the Lahore High Court to ensure that the hearing of the case is heard day and night, without any delay.

In the notification issued by the Lahore High Court's Additional Registrar, terror charges have been included against the suspect.

Zainab murder case: Confessional video of accused emerges

Imran said that he tricked Zainab by telling her that he would take her to meet her parents

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Babar Awan in his media talk claimed that name of a prominent public figure is appearing in the Zainab case.

He demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan to conduct an independent inquiry of the case.

"A strong criminal gang is behind the Zainab's killer. Name of a prominent person is appearing in this case," he said. "If Imran Ali Naqshbandi?s DNA was matching in the rest of the eight cases, why wasn't he arrested earlier."

Awan questioned why Punjab Chief Minister and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah interrupted Zainab's father during the press conference.