LAHORE: Slain social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch’s brother who had murdered her some six years back was released from Multan Central Jail on Saturday.

Qandeel was strangled to death in 2016 by her brother Muhammad Waseem allegedly for honour in Multan.

A trial court had on Sept 27, 2019, sentenced Waseem to life in prison and acquitted five other suspects, including Mufti Abdul Qavi, of the murder charge.

Police had submitted a challan on the complaint of Azeem, father of Qandeel, nominating seven people -- Waseem, Aslam Shaheen and Arif (brothers of Qandeel), Haq Nawaz, Abdul Basit, Mufti Abdul Qavi and Zaffar Hussain.

Waseem had confessed in police custody on July 16, 2019 that he had killed his sister for honour.

On Aug 21, 2019, the parents of Qandeel stated before the trial court that they had pardoned their sons, while on Aug 30 the same year they said they had only nominated their sons under police pressure.

Lahore High Court Multan bench had acquitted Waseem of murder after all prosecution witnesses resiled from their statements.

On Saturday, a session court issued the release orders of Waseem after his acquittal seven days ago. Waseem, remained in prison for around five years and seven months.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2022