With riots triggered by perceived police inaction over the rape and murder of 6-year-old Zainab Amin continuing throughout the day in Kasur, the alleged murderer and rapist of an 8-year-old child was killed in Punjab's Sheikhupura district by police on Wednesday night.

Police say Shiraz Arif Raja had abducted, raped and murdered 8-year-old Maliha, whose body was found in a pile of trash on January 4 stuffed in a gunny bag.

Maliha, who had been visiting Sheikhupura to spend winter vacations with her maternal uncle’s family, had gone missing on December 29.

According to the police, Raja was killed during a shootout that broke out during a police operation to take the suspect into custody.

A first investigation report of the incident was registered the Farooqabad Police Station.

Police officials said they had headed to arrest the suspect upon receiving a tip-off about his location, but when they reached the spot, the suspect and three of his accomplices opened fire, which resulted in a shootout.

Raja was shot and killed during the exchange of fire. Police claim that the bullet that took the suspect’s life came from one of his own accomplices, all three of whom managed to flee the scene.

The suspect’s body has been shifted to District Headquarters Hospital Sheikhupura for a postmortem examination.

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.