Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Maleeka Bokhari shared on Saturday that the state was reviewing “legal options” in light of law and Supreme Court (SC) judgments in the social media starlet Qandeel Baloch’s murder case.
Qandeel’s brother – Mohammad Waseem – had confessed to strangling his sister in the name of honour. He was arrested and sentenced by a trial court for life in prison. However, the decision was overturned by the Lahore High Court.
“The state is undertaking a review of legal options in the Qandeel Baloch case in light of law and Supreme Court judgments,” tweeted Bokhari.
The ruling party lawmaker said that honour killing of women and girls is a “black mark” on the society. “Law was amended to ensure murderer of women, whether a ‘celebrity’ or ordinary woman does not walk free,” noted Bokhari.
Earlier this week, following the directions of the Multan bench, the LHC acquitted Qandeel Baloch’s brother Waseem Khan in her murder case. According to the judgment, the decision was taken over an agreement between the parties involved and retraction of statements recorded by the witnesses. Waseem was sentenced to life imprisonment on September 27, 2019, by a model court in Multan.
Advocate Sardar Mehboob presented arguments on behalf of the accused. In 2016, Waseem had strangled his sister Qandeel to death while she was at home.
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 their 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.
