Brother gets life for Pak social media star’s killing

Lahore, September 27

Qandeel Baloch’s brother was jailed for life by a court on Friday, three years after the social media star's chilling murder sent shock waves across Pakistan, triggering an outpouring of grief on social media and igniting fierce debate over the prevalence of “honour killings” of women.

Fouzia Azeem, better known as Qandeel, was strangled to death at her home in Multan in the Punjab province on July 15, 2016.

Her brother Muhammad Wasim confessed to the murder of his 26-year-old sister and said she had brought “disrepute” to the “family’s honour” with her risque videos and statements posted on social media. Sessions Court Multan Judge Imran Shafi announced the verdict in the case in the presence of all suspects and parents of Baloch. 

While the court awarded life imprisonment to Wasim, it acquitted six other suspects including Baloch's another brother Aslam Shaheen, her cousin Haq Nawaz and cleric Abdul Qavi. A total of 35 witnesses recorded their statements. Wasim will be sent to Central Jail in Multan. — PTI