The policeman in charge of the ground investigation into the murder of Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch has been replaced by a woman officer, reported PTI. Homicide Unit (in-charge) Inspector Ilyas Haider was suspended because of negligence in the probe, officials told the news agency.
Inspector Attiya Jaffari was selected to head the investigation after Haider was found to be “soft” and “favouring” Mufti Abdul Qavi, the cleric who was suspended from religious body Ruet-e-Hilal Committee after Baloch posted photos of her with him.
After taking charge, Jaffari issued notices to a few people in connection to the case, including Qavi and the victim's former husband. “We are preparing the case in a way that its trial is concluded within three months,” Central Police Officer Azhar Akram said. The 26-year-old model's brother, who confessed to killing her for "honour of the family", will be shifted to Lahore soon for a polygraph test.
Pakistani authorities have reportedly barred Baloch's family from forgiving her brother Mohammad Waseem. The incident has triggered calls for an anti-honour killing Bill to be passed post haste. Senator Sherry Rahman, who is an advocate for women's and minorities' rights, has urged the Pakistani national assembly to pass the Bill. In February, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had vowed to expedite the passing of the Bill.
The actor-cum-model, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, shot to fame through her self-promotion and selfies posted on social media. She had tens of thousands of followers who praised her forthright attitude. In her final Facebook post on Friday, a day before hr murder, Baloch had said, "...I am trying to change the typical orthodox mindset of people who don't wanna come out of their shells of false beliefs and old practices."
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