World

Murder charge for Qandeel Baloch brother

December 5, 2016 4:05 pm

The brother of murdered Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch has been formally indicted in connection with her death.

Waseem Baloch and three others were charged in a court in Multan, police investigator Atiya Jafri told the BBC.

When arrested in July soon after the murder, he publicly confessed to strangling his 26-year-old sister for bringing “dishonour” to the family.

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Qandeel Baloch was well known for bold and risque social media posts.

She divided opinion in socially conservative Pakistan, and had expressed fears for her life as a result.

Waseem Baloch and Ms Baloch’s cousin, Haq Nawaz, have been charged with murder. Two other men, including a taxi driver, have been charged with conspiracy to murder and facilitation, Ms Jafri said.

One of them, Mr Nawaz’s brother-in-law Zafar Zain Khosa, left for the Middle East after being granted bail, she added. He is being sought by police.

All three men present in court denied the charges, Multan city district public prosecutor Jam Salahuddin told BBC Urdu.