Qandeel Baloch case: Mufti Qavi sent on judicial remand for a week

MULTAN: Mufti Abdul Qavi, who is under trial in the Qandeel Baloch murder case, was presented in the court of judicial magistrate today as his 13-day judicial remand completed. 

After both sides presented their arguments, the judge sent Qavi on another judicial remand for seven days. The next hearing of the case is on November 20. 

The police also submitted the charge-sheet against Qavi to the prosecutor today, following which the challan will be submitted to the judge in case no changes are needed in it. 

Qavi has already spent around two weeks in police custody following which he was sent to jail on judicial remand. 

Qavi was also taken through a polygraph test at Punjab Forensic Science Authority (PFSA) in Lahore earlier, which went on for over five hours. However, PFSA officials said the accused was not cooperative during the lie-detection test.

Sources said Qavi also pleaded PSFA officials not to make him take the test as he recently underwent an angiography.

On October 18, Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Pervez issued non-bailable warrants for Qavi after investigation officer Noor Akbar requested the court to do so on the grounds that the cleric is not cooperating with the police. 

The cleric was later arrested after reportedly attempting to escape.

After being arrested, Qavi complained of chest pain and was admitted to a hospital. He also underwent angiography in the following days and was discharged later.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf suspended Qavi’s membership of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee after Qandeel released pictures of herself with the cleric in a hotel room weeks before her murder in July 2016, wearing his hat and pouting.

She had accused him of inappropriate behaviour.

"I thought I would expose him as he is in reality," she told AFP at the time. "He is a different person alone and different when he has his followers around him."

She had faced frequent abuse and death threats.

Qandeel Baloch murder case

Baloch, who shot to fame for her provocative selfies that polarised Pakistan, was allegedly strangled on July 16, 2016 by her brother Waseem.

In his 'confession', Waseem claimed she had brought shame on the family and owned up to his crime in a press conference after his arrest the same day. Waseem, his cousin Haq Nawaz and Abdul Basit were indicted in December 2016 and pleaded not guilty.

Prior to her death, Baloch, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, spoke of worries about her safety and had appealed to the Interior Ministry to provide her with security.

In Facebook posts, Baloch, 26, spoke of trying to change "the typical orthodox mindset" of people in Pakistan.