MULTAN: The Lahore High Court’s Multan Bench on Thursday adjourned for an indefinite period the hearing of a bail petition in Qandeel Baloch’s murder case.

A co-accused, Haq Nawaz, cousin of Qandeel Baloch, filed a petition in the court stating that the FIR No 439/16 was lodged with the Muzaffarabad police on July 16, 2016, under sections 302, 311, 109, 34 and 404 of the Pakistan Penal Code against Waseem and Muhammad Aslam Shaheen (the brothers of Qandeel) on the allegation that she was strangled to death by Waseem in the name of honour.

He stated that he was arrested and filed his post arrest bail which was dismissed on Aug 28, 2016, while another bail was also dismissed on Jan 25, 2018, and his third bail request was dismissed on June 4. He requested the court through his counsel Advocate Riaz Hussain Khosa that his post-arrest bail be accepted as he is innocent and has been implicated in the case due to enmity.

He further contended that he was not a nominated accused in the FIR and was involved in the case through supplementary statement with inordinate delay. The bail of co-accused Aslam Shaheen and Basit alias Basu had already been allowed.

Justice Sarfraz Dogar adjourned the hearing of the case with direction to issue the notices to the respondents.

Model and actress Qandeel Baloch (born Fouzia Azeem) was found strangled to death in her house in Multan’s Karimabad area on July 16, 2016. Her father claimed that she was killed by her younger brother, Waseem, in the name of honour. Waseem was arrested by police in Dera Ghazi Khan later that night and he confessed to killing her.

During a press conference after his arrest in presence of police, Waseem said he drugged and strangled her because she “brought dishonour to the Baloch name” due to her risque videos and statements posted on social media.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2018