Cousin strangled Qandeel to death, reveals polygraph test

MULTAN: Social media star Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death by her cousin Haq Nawaz instead of her brother Waseem, revealed sources in Punjab Forensic Science Agency on Saturday.

The main accused of the case Waseem had earlier confessed that he had strangled her sister. However, the claim was rejected after a polygraph test of both the suspects.

According to the test, it was Haq Nawaz, not Waseem, who had strangled the social media to death.

They said Waseem was holding the hands and feet of the slain model at the time of murder while Haq Nawaz strangled her.

Before killing Qandeel, the suspects had drugged her and her parents, they added.

Sources said video and written statements of both suspects have also been recorded.

According to them, it was revealed during investigation that the elder brother Arif, who resides in Saudi Arabia, had pressurised Waseem into killing their sister Qandeel for the “honour of the family”.

They said that after the conversation, Waseem and Haq Nawaz planned the model’s murder.

Prior to her death Qandeel, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, spoke of worries about her safety and had appealed to the interior ministry to provide her with security for protection.

In Facebook posts, Baloch, 26, spoke of trying to change "the typical orthodox mindset" of people in Pakistan. She faced frequent abuse and death threats but continued to post provocative pictures and videos.

The so-called 'honour-killing' has sent shockwaves across the country and triggered an outpouring of grief on social media for Baloch.