Cop probing Qandeel murder suspended, woman officer appointed

A police official probing the murder of Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch was suspended for poor investigation and negligence and a woman inspector has been assigned to complete the task, officials said on Wednesday.

Homicide unit (in-charge) Inspector Ilyas Haider who was doing ground investigation into the murder case will be replaced by woman Inspector Attiya Jaffari who is famous for conducting transparent probes into murder, rape and acid attack cases, said Multan City Police Officer Azhar Ikram.

Central Police Officer Azhar Akram deployed Jaffari following the suspension of two former investigating officers for showing negligence in the probe.

According to media reports, Haider was found to be “soft” and “favouring” Mufti Abdul Qavi, who was suspended from top religious body Ruet-e-Hilal Committee in the controversy following Qandeel’s video posts with him.

Inspector Attiya has issued notices to various people, including Qavi and the slain model’s former husband Ashiq Hussain, under Section 160 of the Pakistan Penal Code in the light of the statement of Qandeel’s mother, Akram said.

“We are preparing the case in a way that its trial is concluded within three months,” Akram was quoted as saying by the Dawn.

Meanwhile, police have decided to shift self-confessed murderer Waseem, Qandeel’s younger brother, to Lahore for polygraph (lie detector) test.

Akram said Waseem had made calls to some people soon after strangling her 26-year-old actor-cum-model sister in central district of Multan on July 15 for the “honour of the family”.

The ‘honour-killing’ has sent shockwaves across the country and triggered an outpouring of grief on social media for Qandeel.