Qandeel Baloch murder case: Court sentences brother to life in jail

MULTAN: A model court in Multan on Friday sentenced slain model Qandeel Baloch’s brother Wasim Khan to life in prison for murdering his sister.

Six including Mufti Abdul Qavi, Qandeel's other two brothers, Aslam Shaheen and Arif were acquitted in the case. 

In 2016, Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death at her home in Punjab by her brother Waseem. Her father Muhammad Azeem Baloch had lodged a murder case against his son Waseem, accomplices Haq Nawaz and others. An affidavit submitted by the parents in 2016 also named two of other sons, Aslam Shaheen and Arif.

Waseem had gone on record and admitted to drugging and killing his sister when he was presented before a special magistrate.

In an affidavit submitted on August 21, the parents said they had forgiven their sons, urging the court to acquit them.

The affidavit submitted in court further stated Qandeel's murder case was registered on July 16, 2016, while the change to the Anti-Honour Killing Laws which prevents killers from walking free after a pardon was made three months later. Thus, it was not applicable in this murder case.

The new legislation made it mandatory for those convicted to serve at least 12 years in jail and made the state a plaintiff in cases.

The court on August 22, had rejected the appeal of slain model’s parents to pardon their sons for her murder.

During proceedings, Qandeel’s parents informed the court that they were only pardoning their sons and not others accused in the case, Mufti Abdul Qavi, Haq Nawaz, Abdul Basit and Zafar.

Baloch’s parents had earlier refused to pardon their sons for killing her and had called for capital punishment in the case. Her father had said that he would be happy if his son and the three other accused were “hanged for their unforgivable crime”.