MULTAN: A model court on Friday handed life imprisonment to Qandeel Baloch’s brother Muhammad Wasim, the prime accused in the social media icon’s murder case.
However, the rest of the suspects, who were nominated in the case, including her brother Aslam Shaheen and cleric Mufti Abdul Qavi, were acquitted by the court.
The court, in the detailed verdict, noted that 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.
Waseem will be sent to Central Jail in Multan to serve his sentence.
Earlier on Thursday, Judge Imran Shafi had reserved the verdict after the prosecution and defense completed their arguments in the case.
Wasim, Baloch’s brother, had strangled her to death in the name of honor at their house in 2016. He later confessed to have killed her because she allegedly “brought dishonor to the Baloch name” with her risqué videos and statements posted on social networking site, Facebook.
In August, Qandeel’s parents had submitted an affidavit in court, stating they had forgiven the killers, their sons, and the case should be withdrawn. However, a trial court had rejected the request.
