The parents of slain social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch on Wednesday submitted an affidavit in a Multan court which said that they have forgiven the killers of their daughter. Baloch was murdered by her brothers in the name of 'honour'.
Qandeel Baloch was strangled and killed in the name of honour by her brother in 2016. In his statement, the killer said that he took the decision because she “brought dishonor to the Baloch name” with her provocative videos and bold statements on her social media profile. Her brother Aslam Shaheen was also nominated in the murder case.
Per details, the parents of the slain model submitted an affidavit in a model court in Multan wherein they stated that they have forgiven the killers and the court should also acquit them.
Further, the affidavit said that the Anti-Honour Killings Laws (Criminal Amendment Bill) 2015 was passed after Qandeel Baloch’s murder and was not relevant to the case. The bill was passed to put an end to the practice of pardoning of killers by a victim’s family.
After the passage of the said legislation, the crime of honour killings was made punishable with life imprisonment. The final decision to punish a killer in such cases rests with a judge per the new amendment.
The affidavit also said that the allegation of Baloch being killed in the name of “honour” was not based on facts. The parents requested the court to acquit the suspects under Section 345 of the Code of Criminal Procedures.
After reviewing the affidavit, the court summoned the prosecution lawyers in the murder case along with the counsel representing Baloch’s parents.
It merits mention here that earlier the court had rejected Baloch’s parents appeal to acquit the suspects had been dismissed by a judge on the basis of the anti-honour killing law. Initially, Baloch’s parents had pledged not to forgive the killers of their daughter.
In light of this case, the weak implementation of the anti-honour killing law has also come under question in this particular case because after the refusal of a judge to acquit the killers earlier, now the same court is paving the way for Baloch’s parents to forgive the killers.
Senator Farhatullah Babar shared a tweet in which he opposed the Qiyas law which allowed killers to gain freedom through pardon.
Renowned lawyer Asad Jamal while commenting on this case said that, "There might be a small chance that the request put forward by Qandeel Baloch's parents can be entertained because the anti-honour killing law was passed after Baloch's murder. Application of this law can prove dodgy in this case."
Qandeel Baloch’s father, namely Mohammed Aslam, had told media persons that he would not pardon the killers under any circumstances. “They should get life imprisonment or death and only that will make me happy,” he had said.
Qandeel Baloch was strangled and killed in the name of honour by her brother in 2016. In his statement, the killer said that he took the decision because she “brought dishonor to the Baloch name” with her provocative videos and bold statements on her social media profile. Her brother Aslam Shaheen was also nominated in the murder case.
Per details, the parents of the slain model submitted an affidavit in a model court in Multan wherein they stated that they have forgiven the killers and the court should also acquit them.
Further, the affidavit said that the Anti-Honour Killings Laws (Criminal Amendment Bill) 2015 was passed after Qandeel Baloch’s murder and was not relevant to the case. The bill was passed to put an end to the practice of pardoning of killers by a victim’s family.
After the passage of the said legislation, the crime of honour killings was made punishable with life imprisonment. The final decision to punish a killer in such cases rests with a judge per the new amendment.
The affidavit also said that the allegation of Baloch being killed in the name of “honour” was not based on facts. The parents requested the court to acquit the suspects under Section 345 of the Code of Criminal Procedures.
After reviewing the affidavit, the court summoned the prosecution lawyers in the murder case along with the counsel representing Baloch’s parents.
It merits mention here that earlier the court had rejected Baloch’s parents appeal to acquit the suspects had been dismissed by a judge on the basis of the anti-honour killing law. Initially, Baloch’s parents had pledged not to forgive the killers of their daughter.
In light of this case, the weak implementation of the anti-honour killing law has also come under question in this particular case because after the refusal of a judge to acquit the killers earlier, now the same court is paving the way for Baloch’s parents to forgive the killers.
Senator Farhatullah Babar shared a tweet in which he opposed the Qiyas law which allowed killers to gain freedom through pardon.
Qindeel’s case is another instance of how Qisas law is misapplied and murderers go free. Need to revisit the law. One way is that pardon may not be exercised until legal course is completed in cases of murders by close relatives
https://t.co/vpqz6Cc4j2
— Farhatullah Babar (@FarhatullahB) August 21, 2019
Renowned lawyer Asad Jamal while commenting on this case said that, "There might be a small chance that the request put forward by Qandeel Baloch's parents can be entertained because the anti-honour killing law was passed after Baloch's murder. Application of this law can prove dodgy in this case."
Qandeel Baloch’s father, namely Mohammed Aslam, had told media persons that he would not pardon the killers under any circumstances. “They should get life imprisonment or death and only that will make me happy,” he had said.