Two die in protests after 8-year-old girl raped and murdered in Pakistan

At least two people have died in Pakistan protests sparked by the rape and murder of eight-year-old girl whose body was dumped in a rubbish heap 

At least two people have died in protests sparked by the rape and murder of eight-year-old girl whose body was dumped in a rubbish heap in Pakistan.

The body of Zainab Ansari was found several days after she went missing on 4 January, She was raped and strangled in the city of Kasur.

She was the eighth minor to have been raped and murdered in the city in the past year.

However, Zainab's family say the police did not take action after they reported her disappearance and it was relatives who recovered CCTV footage of Zainab's movements before she disappeared, not the police.

Police say five of them are linked to one suspect who is being hunted by hundreds of officers and DNA samples have been taken from 90 possible suspects.

Angry demonstators say the authorities are doing little to stem the spat of abductions, sexual assaults and killings.

Hours before Zianab’s funeral on Wednesday, police and protesters clashed as demonstrators attempted to force their way into Kasur police station.

At least two people were killed and several injured as paramilitary troops were called in to restore order. The two protesters were killed after police shot at an angry crowd attempting to storm a police headquarters in Kasur, about 20km south of Lahore.

A police official described the situation as "very tense".

Zainab's murder has led to widespread anger on social media, where the hashtag #JusticeforZainab was one of the top trending topics worldwide.

Former cricketer and opposition leader Imran Khan called for police to act swiftly.

He tweeted: "The condemnable & horrific rape & murder of little Zainab exposes once again how vulnerable our children are in our society.

"This is not the first time such horrific acts have happened. We have to act swiftly to punish the guilty & ensure that our children are better protected."

Meanwhile, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said: "The beasts who have disrespected our daughters should be punished immediately."