A Pakistani man murdered his social media star sister in an 'honor killing.' Their parents pardoned

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Also: Man who murdered Pakistani model in 'honor killing' to be freed after parents' pardon (USA Today)

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Source: Washington Post

A Pakistani man murdered his social media star sister in an ‘honor killing.’ Their parents pardoned him.

By Susannah George and Adela Suliman
February 15, 2022 at 8:53 a.m. EST

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Qandeel Baloch was a megastar on Pakistan’s social media and a well-known celebrity and model before she was murdered by her brother Waseem Azeem in an “honor killing” in 2016.

The case made global headlines, and Azeem was sentenced to life in prison in 2019, but on Monday a court ruled he could be released after his parents granted him forgiveness, triggering a legal pardon under Islamic law.

“The appeal court has acquitted the accused in the case on the grounds of a family settlement and lack of evidence,” Sardar Mehboob, Azeem’s attorney, told The Washington Post on Tuesday.

“There is nothing left in the case. The convict will be released soon from the prison,” his attorney added, noting that the court order had yet to be made public.

Azeem was arrested in 2016 after he confessed to killing his 26-year-old sister for posting what he called “shameful” pictures on social media.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/15/pakistan-qandeel-baloch-brother-honor-killing-acquittal/

Non-paywalled link: https://wapo.st/3oRFYKa

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Source: USA Today

Man who murdered Pakistani model in 'honor killing' to be freed after parents' pardon

Marina Pitofsky
USA TODAY
Published 3:49 p.m. ET Feb 15. 2022 | Update 4:56 p.m. ET Feb. 15 2022

A Pakastani man convicted of murdering his sister in an “honor killing” was acquitted and will be freed after his parents pardoned him.

Waseem Azeem confessed in 2016 to killing Qandeel Baloch and was sentenced to life in prison in 2019. He strangled her in her home in the in Punjab province after she shared photos on Facebook of herself with a Muslim cleric.

Baloch was a model and social media star in Pakistan. She first rose to fame after her audition for “Pakistan Idol,” a singing competition based on the reality show “American Idol.”

A court ruled Monday that Azeem could be freed after his parents sought his release. Islamic law in Pakistan allows a murder victim’s family to pardon people convicted of killings in some circumstances.

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Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2022/02/15/pakistan-murdered-sister-honor-killing-pardoned/6801301001/