Pakistani court upholds death sentence for child killer

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Supreme Court has upheld a death sentence for a man who killed eight children, including a 7-year-old girl whose rape and murder drew nationwide condemnation earlier this year.

Tuesday’s court order came months after Mohammad Imran challenged his death sentence following sentencing in February, claiming his trial was not fair. He still has the right to seek clemency from President Mamnoon Hussain.

Imran was arrested in January after he raped and killed 7-year-old Zainab Ansari and threw her body into a garbage dump in the city of Kasur in eastern Punjab province.

His arrest at the time brought to light seven more killings, prompting Pakistanis to demand he be publicly executed.