A model court in Multan announced the decision in the murder case of model Qandeel Baloch. The main accused and model’s brother Muhammad Waseem has been sentenced to life, while other accused are acquitted in the case.
The rest of the acquitted accuse includes cleric Mufti Qavi, her other brother Aslam Shaheen, Haq Nawaz, Abdul Basit, and Mohammad Zafar Hussain.
#QandeelBaloch brother who killed her for the false premise of so called “Honor” has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. #Justice #NoMore #EndVAW
— Salman Sufi (@SalmanSufi7) September 27, 2019
According to the detailed verdict for the case, the prosecution had “successfully proved its case beyond shadow of reasonable doubt through cogent, convincing and inspiring evidence against the accused for committing qatl-i-amd (wilful murder) of his sister Fouzia Ameen alias Qandeel Balouch in shape of proving his presence at the place of occurrence, in shape of judicial confession corroborated with positive results of his DNA.”
“So he is held guilty of committing qatl-i-amd of his sister,” the verdict added.
The killer of Qandeel Baloch had also referred to the Mufti Qavi controversy in his confessional statement.
Waseem will now spend his life imprisonment in Multan’s Central Jail. Mufti Qavi, elated with the court’s decision, walked out of the court amid his joyful supporters who showered him with petals.
He was nominated as a suspect in the model’s murder case, as his controversial pictures with the model surfaced on social media just a few days before her murder. After the emergence of the pictures, Qavi was removed from the Ruet-e-Hilal committee. Her controversial pictures, however, prompted Qandeel’s brother to kill her.
Justice was served today. This verdict declares honor killing a crime on a public level but let's not forget not all cases receive this level of publicity and that there are still many faceless victims of honor killings out there and they deserve justice too. #QandeelBaloch pic.twitter.com/7N409NYCyJ
— Mooroo (@Mooroo4) September 27, 2019
The killer of Qandeel Baloch had also referred to the Mufti Qavi controversy in his confessional statement.
Earlier, the parents of Qandeel Baloch had pardoned Muhammad Waseem with an affidavit submitted in the court. The Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa refused to endorse the apology and ordered the trial of the case.
Read more: Court Reserves Judgment in Qandeel Baloch Murder Case
Muhammad Waseem had strangled her to death in the name of honor at their house in 2016. He later confessed to having killed her because she allegedly “brought dishonor to the Baloch name” with her bold videos and statements posted on social media. Her brother Shaheen had also been nominated in the case.
Today is the first time in my entire working life that I've seen a man getting convicted and sentenced for murdering his sister over 'honour'. #QandeelBaloch
— Annie (@journo_ON) September 27, 2019
#QandeelBaloch s brother found guilty. Others acquitted. Bittersweet feeling! The mufti and the other brother may not hv strangled her but they sure as hell influenced it.. Not to mention the media who started this by uncovering her true identity-she was safe in anonymity
— Anam Zeb (@anamzeb) September 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/GulBanoACMardan/status/1177524244353298432?s=20