Pakistan's Zainab case: Journo says accused part of pornography ring, involving minister

Lahore (Punjab) [Pakistan], Jan. 27 (ANI): A TV news anchor had recently been summoned by the Pakistan Supreme Court after the former said in his show that the accused in the rape and murder case of a minor girl, Zainab, was a member of a pornography gang, which also includes a Punjab minister.

According to news daily, the Dawn, anchor Shahid Masood was summoned on Thursday to shed more light on the revelations he had made during a late night show in connection with the rape and murder case of six-year-old Zainab Amin and other children in Kasur city.

During the hearing, the mediaperson was advised by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Mian Saqib Nisar, to pen down the names of the provincial minister and another influential person he had mentioned in his show.

Masood did as advised and handed over the names to the CJP after writing them on a piece of paper.

After watching the footage of Masood's TV show in court, a three-judge bench, headed by the CJP, also advised the Punjab Police and a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the evidence provided by the anchor.

Masood also revealed before the judges that the suspect in custody was a "member of an international ring" and has 37 foreign currency bank accounts and the support of the country's most important personality and a minister.

After listening to Masood's claims, the CJP warned the journalist too.

"If these accusations are incorrect, it will not be good," Nisar said.

The case will now be heard on Monday.

Zainab's case has sparked widespread outrage across the country and on social media when her body was recovered from a heap in Kasur on January 9, five days after she went missing from near her aunt's house in the city. (ANI)