After the Lahore High Court (LHC) acquitted Qandeel Baloch’s key suspect and brother for her murder, Pakistani celebrities like actor Osman Khalid Butt voiced their outrage on social media.
It wasn’t until the following year when a 26-year-old woman was killed by Muhammad Waseem for uploading “scandalous” photos on social media. One of Pakistan’s most high-profile cases of “honor killing” in recent years.
After the news of Waseem’s release became viral, many people, including celebrities, flocked to social media to express their displeasure.
“Qandeel Baloch’s killer was released today after serving less than half of his life sentence. He has admitted to drugging and killing his sister on the record. “Please make this make sense to me,” the Ehd-e-Wafa actor tweeted.
Qandeel Baloch’s murderer walks free today after serving less than six years of his life sentence.
He is on record admitting to drugging and murdering his sister.
Someone please make this make sense to me.— Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) February 14, 2022
This is not the first time sentences for heinous crimes have been reduced or overturned.
Why do these loopholes still exist in our judicial system whereby murderers can eventually walk free?— Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) February 14, 2022
Baloch’s assassination sent shockwaves throughout the country and sparked a social media storm of grief, prompting the government to strengthen regulations governing males who murder a close relative in the sake of family honour.
Waseem was charged of strangling his sister for the sake of honour. On September 27, 2019, he was sentenced to life in prison after being detained in July 2016.
He then confessed to killing his 26-year-old sister because of her social media activity during a press appearance.
