Govt to challenge the acquittal of Qandeel’s murderer in Supreme Court: Fawad Chaudhry

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that the government will challenge the Lahore High Court’s verdict of acquitting Waseem Azeem. Waseem Azeem was convicted of Qadeel’s murder in 2016.

Chaudhry, while talking in a Geo News programme, said the government has told the judiciary to consider it [Qandeel’s acqutiall] as a ‘wake-up call’. He further said that the government will challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.

He also requested the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to take action against the judge who took the decision of the acquittal.

The Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) acquitted Waseem Azeem on Feburary 14. Waseem is also Qandeel’s brother. The verdict was announced on the basis of an agreement between the parties and on retraction of statements recorded by the witnesses.

Qandeel’s lawyer Safdar Abbas Shah, while talking to BBC Urdu, said that he had submitted a letter of consent from Qandeel’s parents that they have no objection if the court acquits Waseem. He further said that Waseem has now said that he did not murder Qandeel and police took the confessional statement by threatening him.

Qandeel Baloch, a social media star, was strangled to death in Multan in July 2016 and her brothers Waseem Azeem and Aslam Shaheen were accused of murdering her. A model court in Multan sentenced her brother Waseem Azeem to life in prison for murdering his sister. Life imprisonment means 25 years in jail.