The Sigh of Kasur - Zainab's Lament

 The Sigh of Kasur - Zainab's Lament 

True Story - Syeda Kausar, London 

Zainab Ansari August 2010 In the quiet streets of Kasur, where the sounds of the call to prayer spread in the evening and children returned home playing in the street, there was a tiny flower—Zainab Ansari, just seven years old, the youngest of six siblings, a doll-like, gentle, shy smiley innocent girl whose world was filled with the words of the Quran, dolls and the fragrance of her mother's lap.

Zainab's parents, Muhammad Amin Ansari and Bushra Bibi, go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, praying for a safe future for their children, asking for peace, health and blessings, and little Zainab was at her aunt's house—safe, content, carefree Zainab, just a young innocent flower, but sometimes such stories are written on the screen of fate that put humanity to shame.

 January 4, 2018, the moment the world changed, was also a normal day. Zainab, adjusting her little dupatta, went out for a Quran recitation class with innocent steps, but that day she did not return.

The family first felt anxiety, then fear, and then a terrible silence.

“Zainab is missing” The police were informed, but their faces did not have the seriousness that a missing girl should have, time passed and every passing moment cut a thread of hope. Finally, forced by helplessness, the family posted the picture of this little fairy on social media with her name and then what happens sometimes in centuries, the whole country woke up.

Hearts ached, prayers were on their tongues, and there was a demand for justice in their hands. The whole country raised its voice for Kasur. Millions of people shared Zainab’s picture.

January 9, 2018 — The shock that shook the nation

On the morning of January 9, dark clouds descended on Kasur.

 The news spread that a small, torn and mutilated, innocent body was found in a garbage dump on the outskirts of the city. No one with a soul could have imagined such a situation,

There were signs of force and resistance on the body, evidence of physical torture. Signs of violence before and during the crime, the cause of death was asphyxiation. Signs of continuous torture a few hours before death. Cruel and brutal manner of murder. This was the moment when the earth stopped, breathing became heavy, and millions of hearts broke together.

It spread like fire across the country—

Intense protests, noisy banners, loud slogans, flowing tears.

On every platform, on every social media forum, the general public, everyone was asking the same question: How did this happen to Zainab?

An investigation was scheduled. A difficult journey towards the truth, the Punjab government immediately formed a JIT headed by Muhammad Idrees Regional Police Officer. The footage of the city’s cameras was examined.

 And then a shadowy figure appeared who was seen walking with Zainab. All the paths were leading to the same person—when his gait, physique, clothing, manner of movement, were shown to the people, many screamed, “This looks like Muhammad Imran Ali.” 

A 24-year-old local resident, the same person who was unknown to everyone even in the middle of the city. Who, along with Zainab’s family and friends, was acting to find Zainab. DNA samples were matched in the forensic laboratory. 100% match. This was the evidence that could not be avoided. 

He was arrested on January 23. 

Polygraph, DNA, evidence—all told the same story. And finally he confessed himself. 

The court, where justice took its course, moved the case to the Anti-Terrorism Court so that the verdict would not be delayed. Four days in just four days: 56 witnesses, video evidence, DNA reports, confessions, everything came together to reveal a hideous truth 

A truth that left a wound on the hearts of the nation.

On February 17, 2018, Justice Sajjad Ahmed (ATC) announced the court’s verdict, awarding Muhammad Imran Ali four times the death penalty under Section 302, life imprisonment under Section 367-A and a fine of Rs. 32 lakh under Section 376. Later, the accused also appealed for mercy. The High Court, the Supreme Court, even the President of Pakistan—

But this time the doors remained silent and so did the courts.

October 24, 2018 — The end

The morning air in Kot Lakhpat Jail was heavy. On the same day, the convict Muhammad Imran Ali was hanged by the jail hanging squad 

Only a few officers were present along with Zainab’s father Muhammad Amin Ansari.

 There was neither joy nor anger on their faces—

Only the silent tears that a father sheds when he sees his daughter get justice. A system born from the sacrifice of an innocent person appears in the color of national awakening. Zainab’s story changed the entire country. Continuous coverage of TV channels, a storm of social media,

the global trend of #JusticeForZainab—

Everywhere there was one voice: No more!

The same pressure later led to the passage of the “Zainab Alert Bill”—

a complete system was set up for the immediate search, notification, and rescue of missing children. This law was named after the seven-year-old girl who woke up the entire nation in her silence.

Zainab—Innocent but immortal 

A girl living in a small street of Kasur lives on in the collective memory of the country today.

Her soft smile, her dreams, her young age—

Everything was shattered,

but the question remained there with its horror: what was the fault of the innocent woman of Kasur?