Qandeel Baloch Murder Case Takes a Turn, Father Changes Statement

Father refuses to testify in the Qandeel Baloch murder case. Will the case come to a standstill?

Pakistani actress, social media celebrity, and women’s rights activist, Qandeel Baloch. (Photo Courtesy: Instagram/angelamercymodel)

The high-profile murder of Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch took a new turn after her father retracted his earlier statement. He also refused to testify against one of the suspects, prompting the police to register a case against him. During yesterday’s court proceeding, Qandeel's father and complainant, Azeem Baloch, refused to testify against Aslam (Qandeel’s brother) whom he had earlier declared as one of the suspects in the case.

In the FIR, Azeem had alleged that Aslam was involved in the planning of the murder of his 25-year-old daughter, Qandeel. However, in a court in Multan, he backtracked from his statement. Additional district and sessions judge Saeed Ahmad Raza ordered the police to register a case against Azeem Baloch. The police have registered a case against him under Section 213 of Pakistan Penal Code.

The court has already indicted three suspects – Qandeel's brother Waseem, her cousin Haq Nawaz, and taxi driver Abdul Basit. The suspects, however, denied committing the crime. Another suspect, Zafar Khosa, is absconding. The police claimed that Waseem had made a confession of killing his sister in the presence of an area magistrate, but the counsel for the accused denied any such confession.

Fouzia Azeem, well known as Qandeel Baloch, was a Pakistani model, actress, social media celebrity and a women’s rights activist. She was found strangled in her house in Multan, some 350 kilometres from Lahore, on 16 July 2016. Her brother Waseem had confessed to having killed his sister 'in the name of honour'. In his confession video, Waseem had expressed no regret in killing his sister.

I am proud of what I did. I drugged her first then I killed her. She was bringing dishonour to our family.

Waseem, Qandeel Baloch’s brother

Qandeel had caught public attention after posting bold videos and pictures on Facebook, that many considered 'obscene'. Pakistani cleric Mufti Qawi, who was embroiled in a scandal with Baloch after she uploaded her pictures with him during a meeting, believes that she has met this fate because she had apparently humiliated him. Qandeel had received threats from Qawi supporters for allegedly trying to disgrace him.

Those who intend to humiliate clerics must learn from Qandeel Baloch’s fate.

Mufti Qawi, Pakistani cleric

Waseem, in his confessional statement, had also said that the humiliation of Qawi was one of the "motivational factors" to kill his sister.